OF  THE  CULTUS  OF 


THE  SACRED  HEART 


A  MORAL,  DOGMATIC  AND  HISTORICAL  STUDY. 


DISSERTATION 

Submitted  to  the  Faculty  of  the  Sacred  Sciences  at  the  Catholic 

University  of  America  in  partial  fulfilment  of  the 

requirements  for  the  Doctorate  in  Theology. 


By  the 

REV.  JOSEPH  Juwus  CHARGES  PETROVITS,  J.  C.  B.,  S.  T.  L. 
Of  the  Diocese  of  Harrisburg. 


Catholic  University  of   America, 

Washington,  D.  C.,  U.S.  A, 

MCMXVII. 


EXCHANGE 


THEOLOGY  OF  THE  CULTUS  OF 
THE  SACRED  HEART 

A  MORAL,  DOGMATIC  AND  HISTORICAL  STUDY. 


DISSERTATION 

Submitted  to  the  Faculty  of  the  Sacred  Sciences  at  the  Catholic 

University  of  America  in  partial  fulfilment  of  the 

requirements  for  the  Doctorate  in  Theology. 


By  the 

REV.  JOSEPH  Juuus  CHARLES  PETROVITS,  J.  C.  B.,  S.  T.  L. 
Of  the  Diocese  of  Harrisburg. 


Catholic  University  of   America, 

Washington,  D.  C.,  U.S.A. 

MCMXVIL 


NIHIL  OBSTAT. 

H  THOMAS  J.  SHAHAN,  S.  T.  D., 

Censor  Deputatus. 

IMPRIMATUR. 

^  J.  CARD.  GIBBONS, 

Archiepiscopus  Baltimorensis. 


Copyright, 
by 

JOSEPH  JULIUS  CHARLES  PETROVITS. 
All  rights  reserved. 


;  :*  PRINTED   AT  THE 

COLUMBIA  Poi,YT^HNio  INSTITUTE  FOR  THE  BUND, 
*  *5  ^ :  Washington,  D.  C.,  U.  S.  A. 

»t«>»t/.»     . 


UNIVERSITAS  CATHOUCA  AMERICAE,  WASHINGTONII. 

S.  FACULTAS  THEOLOGICA,  1916-1917. 

No.  10. 


362102 


PREFACE. 


The  modern  educational  tendency  towards  specialization  has  in- 
spired many  exhaustive  treatises  on  the  principal  dogmas  of  the 
Catholic  faith,  and  the  more  profound  study  this  tendency  has 
entailed  has  given  rise  to  separate  tracts  on  Christology,  Soteri- 
ology,  Mariology,  Eschatology,  and  others.  In  this  way,  the  funda- 
mental truths  of  the  Christian  religion  have  been  clarified  and 
developed,  and  many  hitherto  untouched  points  of  controversy  have 
been  brought  out  into  clear  relief.  The  influence  of  the  scientific 
investigation  of  the  past  century  has  no  doubt  been  felt  in  theological 
circles,  and  the  religious  field,  instead  of  suffering  from  the  advance 
of  our  scientific  knowledge,  has  been  strengthened  by  the  addition 
of  numerous  works  which  prove  more  forcibly  than  ever  how 
impossible  is  any  conflict  between  dogmatic  truth  and  the  truth  of 
science,  when  properly  and  impartially  approached.  The  content 
of  religious  knowledge  knows  no  frontiers.  It  draws  its  sources 
from  the  inexhaustible  ocean  of  the  Infinite,  and  the  subjective 
development  of  dogmatic  truth  shows  how  adequately  Christianity 
satisfies  all  the  spiritual  wants  of  the  human  heart.  Among  these 


PREFACE 


developments,  none  has  occupied  a  wider  share  of  attention  than 
the  origin  and  growth  of  the  Devotion  to  the  Sacred  Heart.  The 
diffusion  of  this  Devotion  meets  a  want  which  is  especially  evi- 
denced in  the  spirit  of  the  present  day.  That  there  is  an  unholy 
emotionalism,  or  better,  an  unhealthy  sentimentalism  which  is  un- 
dermining the  basic  factor  of  man's  relation  to  God,  is  admitted  by 
all  who  realize  that  the  psychological  factor  of  religious  belief  needs 
constantly  to  be  guided  into  the  proper  channels.  No  Devotion  of 
the  Church  has  a  more  potent  force  within  itself  to  satisfy  the 
longing  of  man's  heart  for  union  with  God  than  the  Devotion  to 
the  Sacred  Heart  of  Jesus. 

In  a  certain  measure,  this  Devotion  has  not  been  given  the  recog- 
nition it  deserves  from  present-day  theologians.  Comparatively 
small  contribution  of  a  scientific  value  can  be  attributed  to  English 
writers  on  this  subject.  Many  of  its  features  have  been  described 
by  writers  in  French,  German,  Italian,  and  Spanish,  but  few  of 
these  works  have  been  made  accessible  to  English  readers.  And 
yet  no  Devotion  comes  so  closely  to  the  very  essence  of  the  char- 
'  acter  of  those  who  speak,  write  and  read  English  today.  The  field 
of  speculation  such  a  study  opens  up  is  filled  with  numerous  attrac- 
tive aspects  wherein  each  one  can  labor  and  harvest  himself  the 
particular  spiritual  reward  which  is  calculated  to  satisfy  the  indi- 
vidual desire  for  more  intimate  knowledge  of  the  Saviour. 

No  words  are  necessary  to  prove  the  importance  of  the  Devo- 
tion to  the  Sacred  Heart.  Through  the  captivating  symbol  of  the 


PREFACE  9 

Heart,  it  commemorates  that  boundless  love  which  the  Second  Per- 
son of  the  Blessed  Trinity  showed  forth  in  the  work  of  Redemp- 
tion. That  it  ought  to  be  one  of  the  most  beloved  devotions  in  the 
Church  is  evident  from  the  fact  that  it  forms  so  palpably  a  con- 
necting bond  between  the  Creator  and  the  creature,  between  the 
Saviour  and  the  human  race  He  has  redeemed. 

The  Devotion  to  the  Sacred  Heart  is  therefore  a  special  form  of 
worship  given  to  the  love  of  our  Blessed  Lord  as  symbolized  by 
His  Heart.  To  relate  the  story  of  the  beginning  and  the  develop- 
ment of  this  Devotion,  to  explain  its  theological  basis,  and  to  pre- 
sent to  the  reader  its  more  important  features,  is  the  purpose  of 
this  volume.  As  a  tentative  explanation  in  English  of  the  numerous 
questions  involved  in  a  theological  and  historical  discussion  of  the 
Devotion  to  the  Sacred  Heart,  the  work  will  be  welcomed  by  all 
those  who  take  an  interest  in  the  literature  on  the  subject,  since 
it  is  the  first  time  such  a  discussion  has  been  given  in  that  tongue. 

In  the  opening  chapters  the  reader  is  introduced  to  the  historical 
facts  which  thread  their  way  through  the  rise  and  growth  of  this 
Devotion.  Then  follow  a  series  of  chapters  on  the  constitutive 
elements  of  the  Devotion  itself,  and  a  final  section  of  the  work 
deals  with  such  practcial  question  as  the  Devotion  of  the  Nine 
Fridays  or  the  Twelfth  Promise. 

Not  all  the  theology  on  this  subject  has  assumed  a  definite  mould ; 
many  problems  still  remain  in  their  original  controversial  dress, 
and  the  absence  of  any  official  definition  on  the  part  of  the  Church 


10  PREFACE 

explains  the  freedom  with  which  certain  questions  have  been  treated. 
Naturally,  every  good  Catholic  will  make  the  distinction  necessary 
between  what  is  certain  and  what  is  still  undefined  in  this  Devotion. 
In  all,  however,  our  attitude  is  submitted  to  the  authority  of  the 
Church,  which  is  and  ever  will  be  the  pillar  and  ground  of  truth. 

With  the  intention  of  making  a  public  act  of  faith,  the  work  is 
dedicated  to  the  Sacred  Heart,  and  its  pages  are  placed  under  the 
protection  of  the  Divine  Master,  in  the  hope  that  this  humble 
attempt  at  describing  the  Devotion  will  be  productive  of  good  in 
the  hearts  of  the  faithful. 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS. 

Page 

CHAPTER  I.    THE  PRIMARY  OBJECT  OF  WORSHIP.    ADUM- 
BRATIONS OF  THE  CULT  OF  THE  SACRED  HEART 13 

CHAPTER  II.    HISTORY  OF  THE  DEVOTION  TO  THE  SACRED 
HEART  IN  THE  PERIOD  OF  BLESSED  MARGARET  MARY.  .     27 

CHAPTER  III.    HISTORY  OF  THE  DEVOTION  AFTER  THE 
DEATH  OF  BLESSED  MARGARET  MARY 34 

CHAPTER  IV.    BASIS  OF  THE  DEVOTION  TO  THE  SACRED 

HEART    42 

CHAPTER  V.    THE  MATERIAL  OBJECT  OF  THE  DEVOTION  TO 
THE  SACRED  HEART 50 

CHAPTER  VI.    THE  FORMAL  OBJECT  OF  THE  DEVOTION  TO 
THE  SACRED  HEART 64 

CHAPTER  VII.    THE  HEART  IN  SYMBOLISM 73 

CHAPTER  VIII.    THE  PRIMARY  AND  SECONDARY  OBJECTS 

OF  THE  DEVOTION  TO  THE  SACRED  HEART 84 

CHAPTER  IX.    EXPLANATION  OF  CREATED  AND  INCREATED 
LOVE    93 

CHAPTER  X.    SPECULATIVE  CONSIDERATION  OF  CREATED 

AND   INCREATED   LOVE Ill 

CHAPTER  XL    HISTORICAL  BASIS  FOR  THE  GREAT  PROMISE   130 

CHAPTER  XII.    CONTENTS  OF  THE  LETTER  CONTAINING 

THE  GREAT  PROMISE 139 

CHAPTER  XIII.    INTERPRETATION  OF  THE  TEXT  OF  THE 

GREAT  PROMISE 152 

CHAPTER  XIV.    IMPORT  OF  THE  PRIVATE  REVELATION  RE- 
FERRING TO  THE  GREAT  PROMISE 172 

CHAPTER  XV.    OUR  CONCLUSIONS  AS  REGARDS  THE  GREAT 
PROMISE  182 

BIBLIOGRAPHY   202 

INDEX    209 

THESES   ,       , 219 


CHAPTER  I 

THE  PRIMARY  OBJECTS  OF  WORSHIP. 
ADUMBRATIONS  OF  THE  CULT  OF  THE  SACRED  HEART. 


The  anthropologists  of  our  time  agree  that  even  the  pagan  nations 
worship  a  superior  being.  Their  statements  are  founded  upon  the 
science  of  comparative  religions.  The  early  Fathers  of  the  Church 
came  to  the  same  conclusion  from  their  knowledge  of  pagan  liter- 
ature and  customs.  Their  observations  based  on  the  facts  of  pagan 
history  proved  the  untenableness  of  Descartes'  excessive  intellect- 
ualism  concerning  the  idea  of  God.  It  is  now  generally  admitted 
that  all  the  nations  had  more  or  less  a  clear  idea  of  a  relatively 
superior  being  whom  they  worshipped  as  Creator,  Supreme  Ruler, 
Preserver,  Supernatural  Force  and  Power.  All  these  concepts  are 
spontaneous  with  man,  for  he  cannot  fail  to  realize  his  dependence 
on  One  Whose  existence  is  eloquently  proclaimed  by  the  "good 
things  that  are  seen,"  *  and  of  whom  the  royal  psalmist  chants  the 
beautiful  strain  "the  Heavens  show  forth  the  glory  of  God,  and 
the  firmament  declareth  the  work  of  His  hands."  2 

In  the  Old  Testament  the  Jewish  nation  alone  had  a  true  knowl- 
edge of  the  true  God,  and  worshipped  Him  as  He  commanded.  This 
worship  was  not  the  most  perfect  that  man  was  capable  of  render- 
ing to  his  Creator,  for  some  of  its  acts  were  only  prototypes  of  the 
higher  cult  which  the  Son  of  God  came  to  establish.  By  the  light 
which  Christ  brought  down  from  heaven  we  were  helped  to  form  a 
clearer  knowledge  of  God  and  of  His  relation  to  mankind.  The  divine 
manifestations  which  accompanied  His  teaching  became  irresistible 

1  Wisdom,  XIII,  1. 
•Ps.  XVIII,  1. 

13 


14  THE    PRIMARY   OBJECTS   OF    WORSHIP 

criteria  of  credibility.  He  gained  adherents,  selected  twelve  Apos- 
tles, and  founded  a  spiritual  kingdom  on  earth.  He  perfected  the  for- 
mer worship  by  retaining  some  of  its  phases,  and  abolished 
others,  introducing  new  ones  in  their  place.  Christianity  thus 
supplanted  Judaism.  Finally,  He  laid  down  His  life — as  a  victim 
of  love — in  order  to  satisfy  divine  justice,  and  to  restore  the  race  to 
its  lost  supernatural  status  and  privileges.  Thus,  he  became  the 
object  of  a  special  worship  on  account  of  the  infinite  love  visualized 
in  the  work  of  His  Incarnation  and  Redemption.  A  Christian's 
worship  of  Christ,  therefore,  ought  to  be  just  as  spontaneous  as  the 
worship  shown  to  God  by  one  who  never  heard  of  the  mysteries  of 
Redemption. 

The  above  two  worships,  viz.,  of  God  and  of  the  Incarnate  Word, 
belong  to  the  very  essence  of  religion.  They  are  the  two  sources 
from  which  all  devotions  practiced  by  the  faithful  and  approved 
by  the  Church  originate.  All  the  honors  thus  externalized  redound 
ultimately  to  their  glory.  Every  act  of  homage  is  calculated  to 
terminate  in  them  directly  or  indirectly.  Even  when  we  honor  a 
Saint,  as  a  proximate  object,  our  homages  in  their  final  analysis 
must  refer  to  a  remote  object,  viz.,  God,  Whose  goodness  and 
sanctity  is  reflected  in  His  Saint.  Hence,  it  follows,  that  a  devotion 
having  a  theological  justification,  does  not  detract  from  the  external 
glory  of  God  simply  because  He  is  not  its  proximate  object.  The 
history  of  the  various  devotions  shows  this  principle  to  have  been 
adopted  by  the  Church.  In  our  own  days  one  could  point  out  many 
objects  of  worship  which  were  unknown  in  the  early  ages  of  Chris- 
tianity except  in  so  far  as  it  is  possible  in  certain  instances  to  detect 
adumbrations. 

There  were  private  devotions  in  the  past,  of  which,  for  a  time, 
the  Church  took  no  official  cognizance.  With  such,  as  a  rule,  it 
does  not  concern  itself  unless  they  are  of  such  dangerous  character 
as  to  necessitate  an  interference  in  order  that  the  spiritual 


ADUMBRATIONS  OF  THE  CULT  OF  THE  SACRED   HEART  15 


welfare  of  the  individual  may  not  be  jeopardized.  History  proves 
that  the  Church  has  never  failed  to  make  an  authoritative  pronounce- 
ment of  commendation  or  reprobation  when  a  new  devotion  became 
extensively  diffused.  Being  the  depository  of  truth,  the  supreme 
guardian  of  matters  touching  things  spiritual,  its  voice  was 
always  heard  when  a  tendency,  not  in  conformity  with  revelation 
and  tradition,  was  perceptible  within  the  fold.  To  substantiate  this 
fact  it  will  suffice  to  bear  in  mind  the  many  propositions  it  con- 
demned, the  dogmas  it  clearly  defined,  the  false  teachings  it  inter- 
dicted, the  numerous  devotions  it  discountenanced,  and  the  many 
heretics  it  anathematized.  The  Church  is  the  official  judge  as  to  the 
legitimacy  of  any  certain  cult  or  devotion. 

The  history  of  the  devotion  to  the  Sacred  Heart  is  an  example 
showing  that  the  Church  exercises  all  possible  precaution  in 
this  matter  before  a  final  judgment  is  pronounced.  It  is  not 
the  purpose  of  this  work  to  present  a  lengthy  historical  treatise. 
We  must  content  ourselves  with  what  is  absolutely  necessary  in 
order  that  we  may  be  enabled  intelligently  to  connect  with  its  his- 
tory those  aspects  which  are  to  claim  our  special  attention. 

Pius  IX  expressed  the  belief  that  Christ  selected  Blessed  Mar- 
garet Mary  for  the  office  of  introducing  the  devotion  to  the 
Sacred  Heart.1  All  the  theologians  agree  that  in  consequence  of 
her  revelations  the  devotion  received  an  irresistible  impetus,  and 
they  helped  toward  determining  its  material  and  formal  object. 
With  this  fact  in  our  possession,  we  shall  divide  our  historical 
treatise  into  three  periods.  In  the  first,  we  shall  endeavor  to  point 
out  some  foreshado wings  of  the  devotion  to  the  Sacred  Heart  from 
the  early  ages  of  Christianity,  and  the  form  in  which  it  existed 


1  "lamvero  ad  tarn  salutarem,  ac  debitum  pietatis  cultum  instituendum 
eligere  Servator  noster  dignatus  est  Venerabilem  famulam  suam  Margaritam 
Mariam  de  Alacoque"  .  .  .  (Deer.  Beatif.,  ANAI,.  IUR.  PONT.,  ser.  7,  an. 
1864,  col.  934). 


16  THE    PRIMARY   OBJECTS   OF   WORSHIP 


before  the  time  of  Blessed  Margaret  Mary.  In  the  second  period 
we  shall  mark  the  progress  it  made  during  her  life,  and  in  the  third 
we  shall  dwell  briefly  on  its  growth  after  the  death  of  the  Beata. 

Devotion  to  the  Sacred  Heart  as  it  is  propagated  in  our  time  con- 
sists of  two  distinct  elements,  viz.,  formal  and  material.  The  love 
of  Christ  is  the  formal,  and  His  Heart  the  material  element.  For 
a  long  time  these  two  elements,  separated  from  each  other,  were 
objects  of  a  special  individual  worship.  At  the  end  of  the  thirteenth 
century  they  became  united,  and  as  such,  formed  the  earliest  phase 
of  the  devotion  to  the  Sacred  Heart.  In  the  following  paragraphs 
we  shall  make  an  attempt  to  trace  them  individually  to  the  early 
ages.  In  the  course  of  our  investigation  we  shall  endeavor  to  show 
how  the  faithful  brought  them  into  correlation,  and  finally  united 
them  as  two  objects  of  one  devotion. 

The  formal  element  of  this  devotion  is  older  than  Christianity.  It 
is  founded  on  the  words  of  Moses  directed  to  the  Israelites :  "Thou 
shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  thy  whole  heart,  with  thy  whole 
soul  and  with  thy  whole  strength."  *  A  further  step  in  its  develop- 
ment is  heralded  by  St.  John :  "For  God  so  loved  the  world,  as  to 
give  His  only  begotten  Son."  2  The  faithful  believing  that  "the 
Word  was  made  flesh"  3  and  "confessing  that  Jesus  Christ  who  is 
come  in  the  flesh,  is  of  God"  4  began  to  pay  a  special  tribute  of  love 
to  Him. 

Christ  assured  mankind  of  His  love  toward  men.5  He  proved 
this  love  by  laying  down  His  life  for  us.6  The  consideration  of  this 
deep  mystery  brings  to  the  lips  of  St.  Paul  the  well-known  protesta- 
tion: "Who  then  shall  separate  us  from  the  love  of  Christ?"  7 

*Deut.  VI.  5. 
•John  III.  16. 
8  John  I.  14. 
4 1.  John  IV.  2. 
'John  XV.  9. 
'  I  John  II.  16. 
T  Rom.  VIII.  35. 


ADUMBRATIONS  OF  THE}  CUI/T  OP  THE}  SACRED   HEJART  17 


The  same  Apostle  in  his  characteristic  way  expresses  the  convictions 
of  the  Christians  of  his  day:  "He  died  for  all,1  and  if  any  man 
love  not  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  let  him  be  anathema."  2 

We  need  not  cite  more  passages  of  the  Sacred  Scripture  to  prove 
that  the  early  Christians  considered  the  love  of  Christ  as  the  essence 
of  their  religious  belief.  The  sufferings  He  underwent  for  our 
salvation  and  His  death  on  the  cross,  are  indicated  as  the  motives 
which  actuated  this  love  of  the  appreciative  redeemed  believers 
toward  the  Person  of  the  Redeemer.  The  piercing  of  the  Heart, 
which,  by  anticipation,  was  to  be  a  partial  contributory  cause  of 
our  redemption  was  the  last  scene  of  that  awful  drama  which 
the  Saviour  of  mankind  enacted  on  the  stage  of  the  world  in  order 
to  fulfill  His  divine  mission. 

This  Heart  is  the  material  object  of  our  devotion.  The  mystic 
signification  attached  to  It  combined  with  the  popular  belief  which 
viewed  It  as  the  seat  of  all  affections,  were  instrumental  in  pro- 
moting the  special  honors  which  It  received.  We  shall  succeed  in 
tracing  this  material  object  to  the  early  ages  of  Christianity  by  a 
brief  presentation  of  the  different  devotions  in  honor  of  the  Passion 
of  Christ.  It  can  be  proved  that  in  sensu  cumulative  the  Heart  of 
Christ  was  worshipped  ever  since  It  was  pierced  on  the  Cross.  We 
do  not  mean  to  assert  that  this  worship  was  something  explicit.  We 
only  mean  to  intimate  that  it  was  included  implicitly  in  other  devo- 
tions until,  finally,  It  became  crystallized  as  a  separate  object. 

A.  Among  the  first  devotions  of  the  early  Christians  the  one  to 
the  Passion  of  Christ  stands  out  prominently.  The  Sacred  Scrip- 
ture makes  frequent  references  to  the  incontestiblc  truth  of  Chris- 
tianity :  "Christ  died  for  us,  we  being  now  justified  by  His  blood."  3 
Since,  therefore,"  Christ  the  just  died  for  us  the  unjust,4  we  have 

'II.  Cor.  V.  15. 
•I.  Cor.  XVI.  22. 
» Rom.  V.  9. 
*I.  Peter  III.  18. 


18  THE:    PRIMARY   OBJECTS   OF    WORSHIP 

reason  to  rejoice  in  our  sorrow  and  trials,  for  as  the  sufferings  of 
Christ  abound  in  us  so  also  by  Christ  does  our  comfort  abound.1 
Christ  was  the  author  of  our  salvation  by  His  Passion,  2  and  we  see 
Jesus,  for  the  suffering  of  death  crowned  with  glory  and  honor,3 
and  to  Him  who  washed  us  from  our  sins  in  His  own  blood  be 
glory  and  empire  for  ever  and  ever,  Amen/' 4  It  was  the  suffering 
and  the  shedding  of  blood  by  which  our  redemption  was  accom- 
plished that  inspired  the  earliest  worship  of  Christ.  But  no  man 
will  deny  that  in  these  sufferings,  and  particularly  in  the  shedding 
of  blood,  the  Heart  of  Christ  had  a  considerable  share.  Therefore, 
in  a  cumulative  sense,  it  inevitably  participated  in  the  reverence 
and  honors  paid  in  consequence  of  them. 

B.  The  devotion  to  the  Passion  of  Christ  assumed  a  new  phase 
when  the  faithful  commenced  to  pay  a  special  homage  to  the  five 
principal  wounds  of  His  sacred  body.  The  words  of  St.  Ambrose 
(d.  397),  besides  being  expressive  of  a  deep  sense  of  piety,  attribute 
to  these  wounds  a  power  of  impetration.  "Christ  refused  to  relin- 
quish the  wounds  He  received  for  us,"  he  says,  "and  preferred  to 
take  them  with  Him  in  order  to  exhibit  them  to  His  Heavenly 
Father."5  St.  Peter  Chrysologus  (d.  450),  while  commenting  on 
the  words  with  which  the  risen  Savior  wishes  to  change  the  unbe- 
lieving heart  of  His  doubting  Apostle,  makes  a  striking  reference 
to  these  wounds.  "May  these  wounds,"  he  remarks,  "which  have 
already  shed  water  for  the  cleansing  and  blood  for  the  redemption 
of  mankind,  spread  the  light  of  faith  in  the  whole  universe."  6  A 


1 II.  Cor.  I.  5. 

1  Hebrews  II.  10. 

•  Hebrews  II.  9. 

'Apoc.  I.  6. 

5  "Quod  vulnera  suscepta  pro  nobis  coelo  inferre  maluit,  abolere  noluit,  ut 
Deo  Patri  nostrae  pretia  libertatis  ostenderet."  (MiGNE,  P.  L.,  torn.  XV, 
col.  1846.) 

e"Ut  effundant  toto  orbe  haec  vulnera  fidem,  quae  aquam  in  lavacrum, 
sanguinem  in  omnium  pretium  iam  fuderunt."  (MiGNE,  P.  L.,  torn.  UI. 
col.  439.) 


ADUMBRATIONS  OF  THE   CULT   OF   THE   SACRED    HEART  19 

tender  tribute  is  paid  to  these  wounds  by  St.  Gregory  the  Great 
(d.  604)  in  his  Commentary  on  the  Canticle  of  Canticles.  "For  as 
the  dove/'  he  says,  "seeks  nutrition  in  hollow  places,  so  the  pious 
soul,  in  order  to  regale  herself,  finds  nourishment  in  the  wounds  of 
Christ."  1 

From  the  above  three  quotations,  to  which  we  could  add  many 
others,  it  is  evident  that  a  devotion  to  the  Five  Wounds  existed  in 
the  early  ages  though — on  account  of  the  scarcity  of  historical  docu- 
ments— we  are  not  in  a  position  to  determine  the  extent  of  its  popu- 
larity. Suffice  it  to  say  that  the  indefatigable  zeal  of  St.  Bernard 
(d.  1153),  and  St.  Francis  (d.  1226),  as  well  as  the  religious  enthu- 
siasm of  the  Crusaders  returning  from  the  Holy  Land  contributed 
considerably  to  its  diffusion.2 

Perhaps  the  most  ardent  advocates  of  this  devotion  were  St. 
Mechtilde  (d.  1290)  and  St.  Gertrude  (d.  1302.)  Their  writings 
are  full  of  references  to  the  wounds  of  Christ.  The  motive  which 
animated  these  devotees  of  this  cult  could  not  be  stated  more  con- 
cisely than  the  Memorial  of  the  Polish  Bishops  portrays  it.  "These 
parts  of  Our  Lord's  most  sacred  body  are  being  held  more  deserving 
of  a  special  cult  than  the  others,  precisely  because,  being  decorated 
with  these  wounds  as  with  illustrious  marks  of  love,  they  under- 
went keener  sufferings  for  our  salvation.  It  is  for  this  reason  that 
they  cannot  be  contemplated  without  deep  feeling  of  religion  and 
piety."  3 

Animated  by  such  sentiments  as  the  above  words  portray,  the 
faithful  directed  repeated  petitions  to  the  Holy  See  requesting  a 
special  feast  in  honor  of  the  sacred  wounds  of  Christ.  Finally,  their 
efforts  were  crowned  by  Innocent  VI  in  1362.  In  France  this  devo- 


1  "Quasi  columba  in  f oraminibus,  sic  simplex  anima  in  vulneribus  nutri- 
mentum  quo  convalescat,  invenit."     (MiGNE,  P.  L.,  torn.  LXXIX,  col.  499.) 
1  HOLWECK  in  the  Cath.  Enc.  art.,  Wounds. 
1  Nnjues,  De  ratione  festorwn  SS.  Cordis  Jesu  et  Mariae,  I.  126. 


20  THE)    PRIMARY   OBJECTS   OF   WORSHIP 


tion  receives  its  first  official  recognition  in  the  Synod  of  Lavaur, 
held  on  May  17,  1368,  under  the  Pontificate  of  Urban  V,  in  the 
Cathedral  of  Lavaur,  at  the  request  of  Pierre  de  la  Jugie,  Arch- 
bishop of  Norbonne.  At  this  Synod  an  indulgence  of  thirty  days 
was  granted  to  those  who  recite  five  Our  Fathers  in  honor  of  the 
Five  Wounds  of  Christ.  The  wound  of  the  Sacred  Side  was  one  of 
these  Five  Wounds.  The  tradition  handed  down  by  the  popular 
mind  as  well  as  by  the  Fathers  and  the  Doctors  of  the  Church 
believes  the  wound  of  the  Sacred  Side  and  Heart  to  have  been 
inflicted  simultaneously.  Hence,  the  two  were  considered  as  one, 
and  included  as  such  in  the  devotion  to  the  Five  Wounds.  These 
organs  of  the  sacred  body  were  considered  deserving  of  a  special 
homage  not  only  because  they  were  visibly  effected  by  external 
anguish,  but  also  because  through  them  oozed  the  precious  blood, 
the  prize  of  our  Redemption.  Thus,  we  find  a  trace  of  a  worship 
paid  to  the  Sacred  Heart,  in  an  implicit  cumulative  sense,  in  the 
devotion  to  the  Five  Wounds. 

C.  While  the  above  devotion  continued  to  spread  it  was  notice- 
able that  of  the  Five  Wounds  one  enjoyed  more  popularity  than  the 
rest.1  The  Side  of  Christ  suffered  an  indelible  wound  by  the  spear 
of  a  soldier.2  It  was  to  this  Side  Christ  pointed,  when,  after  His 
Resurrection,  He  was  desirous  of  inspiring  His  apostles  with  peace, 
consolation  and  courage.3  Of  all  the  wounds,  this  was  the  deepest ; 
of  all  this  the  most  prominent.  St.  Gregory  (d.  604)  alludes  to  it 
in  his  Commentary  on  the  Canticle  of  Canticles.  "By  the  hollow 
places  of  the  wall,"  he  says,  "we  understand  the  Side  of  Christ  which 
was  opened  by  the  lance."  4  It  was  through  this  hallowed  Side  that 


*KEU,ER,  S.  J.,  Die  /tin/  Wundmale  des  Herrn.  (In  the  Zeitschrift  fur 
Kath.  Theol.,  1893,  p.  582.) 

•John  XIX.  34. 

9  John  X.  22. 

*  "Per  foramina  autem  petrae,  vulnera  manuum  et  pedum  Christi  in  cruce 
pendentis  libenter  intellexerim.  Cavernam  vero  maceriae,  vulnus  lateris, 
quod  lancea  factum  est,  eodem  sensu  dixerim."  (MiGNE,  P.  L.,  torn.  LXXIX, 
col.  499.) 


ADUMBRATIONS  OF  THE  CULT  OF  THE  SACRED   HEART 


the  last  drops  of  blood  were  shed,  as  a  final  testimony  of  love 
elicited  by  the  God-Man,  toward  those  whose  cause  He  was  so  elo- 
quently pleading  before  the  throne  of  His  Heavenly  Father.  Hence, 
nothing  is  more  natural  than  that  it  should  attract  a  very  special 
attention.  The  deep  devotion  St.  Augustine  (d.  430)  entertained 
toward  the  Sacred  Side  can  be  gauged  by  the  following  words.  "The 
Evangelist  fittingly  states  that  the  soldier  opened  His  Side,  in  order 
that  in  It,  so  to  speak,  may  be  opened  the  gate  of  life,  through 
which  issued  the  Sacraments  of  the  Church,  without  which  no  one 
can  enter  the  path  leading  to  eternal  life.  Thus,  the  second  Adam 
with  a  bent  head  l  slept  on  the  cross  that  a  Spouse  may  be  created 
for  Him  issuing  from  His  Side.  What  is  there  purer  than  this 
blood  ?  What  more  healing  than  this  wound  ?"  2 

It  is  not  to  be  presumed  that  the  devotion  to  the  Sacred  Side  was 
exclusive  of  the  Sacred  Heart.  Father  Galliffet  adduces  some  rea- 
sons of  his  own  to  prove  that  the  lance  of  the  centurion — after  it 
pierced  the  Side  of  Christ — penetrated  into  His  Sacred  Heart.3  He 
also  quotes  from  the  writings  of  St.  Gregory  Nazianzen,  St.  Ber- 
nard, St.  Thomas  Aquinas,  St.  Francis  de  Sales,  and  others,  who 
share  his  belief.  Hence,  we  may  reasonably  suppose  that  the  two 
wounds,  viz.,  that  of  the  Side  and  the  Heart  of  Christ,  were  never 
disassociated,  but  honored  always  unitedly. 

D.  From  the  foregoing  we  can  see  how  gradually  and  instinct- 
ively the  popular  mind  was  drawn  nearer  and  nearer  to  the  Sacred 

1  John  XIX.  30. 

1  "Vigilanti  verbo  Evangelista  usus  est,  tit  non  diceret,  latus  eius  percussit, 
aut  vulneravit,  aut  quid  aliud;  sed  aperuit  ut  illic  quodammodo  vitae  ostium 
panderetur,  unde  sancta  Ecclesiae  manaverunt  Sacramenta,  sine  quibus  ad 
vitam  quae  vera  vita  est  non  intratur.  .  .  .  Hie  secundus  Adam  inclinato 
capite  in  cruce  dormivit,  ut  inde  formaretur  ei  conjux,  quod  de  latere 
dormientis  effluxit.  O  raors  unde  mortui  reviviscunt.  Quid  isto  sanguine 
mundius?  Quid  vulnere  isto  salubrius?"  (MiGNE,  P.  L.,  torn.  XXXV, 
coL  1953.) 

*  The  Adorable  Heart  of  Jesus.    London,  1908.    Appendix,  Art.  2,  p.  160. 


22  THE)    PRIMARY   OBJECTS   OF   WORSHIP 


Heart,  which  was  destined  to  be  the  object  of  a  favored  cult.  While 
the  Sacred  Heart,  for  a  long  time,  was  not  proposed  for  worship  as  a 
separate  object,  nevertheless,  the  writings  of  the  early  Fathers  con- 
tain many  explicit  allusions  to  It. 

St.  Augustine,  St.  Ambrose,  and  St.  John  Chrysostom  speak 
repeatedly  of  the  Sacred  Side  and  the  blood  issuing  from  it,  but — 
as  far  as  we  can  ascertain — they  make  no  explicit  mention  of  the 
Heart  of  Christ.  St.  Paulinus  of  Nola  (d.  431)  is  the  first  to  men- 
tion it  explicitly.  He  pictures  St.  John  as  resting  his  head  on  Jesus' 
breast,  and  drawing  deep  mysteries  "from  His  Heart,  as  from  the 
fountain  of  the  creative  Wisdom,  being  thereby  inebriated  by  the 
Holy  Ghost."  l  Perhaps  the  most  striking  words  of  any  used  by 
an  early  writer  come  down  to  us  from  St.  Anselm  (d.  1109),  Arch- 
bishop of  Canterbury.  "What  sweetness/'  he  says,  "in  this  pierced 
Side.  That  wound  has  revealed  us  the  treasures  of  His  goodness, 
that  is  to  say,  the  love  of  His  Heart  for  us."3 

The  words  of  St.  Bernard  reveal  his  deeply  religious  soul.  "The 
lance,"  he  maintains,  "pierced  His  Side,  and  it  penetrated  into  His 
Heart  in  order  that  from  henceforth  He  may  be  induced  to  com- 
passionate us  in  our  infirmities;  the  secret  of  the  Heart  is  exposed 
by  the  openings  of  the  body."3 

Abbot  William  (d.  1148)  calls  the  Heart  of  Jesus  "an  assured 
refuge  of  mery,"  4  and  the  Abbot  Gilbert  of  Holland  (d.  1172) 


1  "Johannes  igitur  beatus  dominici  pectoris  cubator  qui  sensus  creaturis 
omnibus  altiores  ex  ipso  creatricis  omnium  rerum  corde  sapientiae  biberat, 
inebriatus  Spiritu  Sancto,  ab  ipso  intimo  et  infinito  omnium  principiorum 
Evangelii  fecit  exordium."  (  MIGNE,  P.  L,.,  torn.  LXI,  col.  252.) 

*  Dulcis  in  apertione  lateris ;  apertio  siquidem  ilia  revelavit  nobis  divitias 
bonitatis  suae,  charitatis  sui  cordis  erga  nos.''    (MiGNE,  P.  L.,  torn.  CLVIII, 
col.  762.) 

'Ferrum  pertransiit  animam  eius,  et  appropinquavit  cor  illius,  ut  non  iam 
non  sciat  compati  infirmitatis  meis.  Patet  arcanum  cordis  per  foramina  cor- 
poris."  (MiGNE,  P.  L.,  torn.  CLXXXIII,  col.  1072.) 

*  "In  apertum  ostium  toti  intremus  usque  ad  cor  tuum,  Jesu,  certam  sedem 
misericordiae,  usque  ad   animam   tuam   sanctam,  plenam   omnis  plenitudinis 
Dei."     (MiGNE,  P.  L.,  torn.  CLXXXIV,  col  155.) 


ADUMBRATIONS  OF  THE  CULT  OF  THE  SACRED   HEART  23 

exclaims:  "The  wound  of  the  Heart  displays  the  ardor  of 
love.  O  truly  sweet  Heart  which  at  the  sight  of  our  love  is  induced 
to  give  us  love  in  return."  l 

In  the  "Vitis  Mystica"  claimed  by  some  to  have  originated  from 
the  pen  of  St.  Bernard,  by  others  from  that  of  St.  Bonaventure,  we 
read  that  "this  Heart  was  wounded  in  order  that  through  this 
visible  wound  the  invisible  wound  of  love  may  be  displayed.  What 
other  way  could  His  ardent  love  be  exhibited  more  effectively  than 
by  permitting  the  wounding  of  the  body  as  well  as  of  the  Heart 
by  a  lance?  The  fleshy  wound  thus  symbolizes  the  spiritual 
wound."  2 

Allusions  of  this  character  become  more  and  more  frequent  as 
time  advances.  The  ecclesiastical  writers  of  the  preceding  centuries 
did  not  as  yet  unite  the  material  and  the  formal  object  of  this  devo- 
tion for  some  give  preference  to  the  Heart,  others  again  to  the  love 
It  symbolizes.  The  two  become  united  in  the  writings  of  St.  Ger- 
trude (d.  1302).  After  this  Saint  acquainted  the  world  with  the 
nature  and  the  character  of  the  devotion  to  the  Sacred  Heart,  the 
leaders  in  piety  and  learning  penned  thousands  of  passages  extoll- 
ing the  Heart  of  Christ  as  the  seat  of  love,  wisdom,  magnanimity, 
and  all  manifestations  to  which  His  human  nature  gave  evidence 
during  His  terrestrial  sojourn.  Such  utterances  were  then  easily 
intelligible,  for  in  those  days  the  human  heart  was  considered  the 
fountain-head  of  all  good  and  evil. 

Our  contemporary  physiologists  contradict  this  old  tradition.  For 
the  time  being  it  will  suffice  to  say  that  many  expressions  and 

1"Cordis  vulnus  vehementiam  designat  amoris.  O  vere  dulce  cor,  quod 
nostris  movetur  affectibus  ad  repetendam  vicissitudinem  dilectionis."  (MiGNE, 
P.  L.,  torn  CLXXXIV,  col.  155.) 

a  Nihilominus  et  propterea  vulneratum  est  (cor),  ut  per  vulnus  visibile 
vulnus  amoris  invisibile  videamus.  Quomodo  hie  ardor  melius  ostendi  potest, 
nisi  quod  non  solum  corpus,  verum  etiam  ipsum  cor  lancea  vulnerari  permisit. 
Carnale  ergo  vulnus  vulnus  spirituale  ostendit."  (MiGNE,  P.  L.,  torn, 
CLXXXIV,  col.  643.) 


24  THE)    PRIMARY   OBJECTS   OF    WORSHIP 


modes  of  speech,  referring  to  the  heart  in  practically  all 
languages,  convey  a  meaning  that  is  not  to  be  confined  to  the  mate- 
rial heart  exclusively,  but  must  be  interpreted  as  relating  to  our 
moral  faculties.  The  word  heart,  and  the  functions  falsely  attrib- 
uted to  it  by  the  popular  as  well  as  the  scientific  minds  of  the  past, 
captivated  many  a  contemplative  soul  long  before  the  time  of  Blessed 
Margaret  Mary.  From  the  year  1072  to  1680,  Father  Chandlery 
enumerates  110  writers,  and  quotes  some  of  their  references  to  the 
Sacred  Heart.1 

The  venerable  Carthusian  Lanspergius  (d.  1539)  and  the  pious 
Benedictine  Louis  de  Blois  (d.  1566)  were  instrumental  in  intro- 
ducing the  devotion  among  the  ascetics.2  Thus,  the  devotion  gained 
entrance  into  the  monastic  life. 

To  diffuse  it  still  more  extensively  among  the  laity,  Father  Hajnal 
(d.  1644),  the  celebrated  Hungarian  Jesuit,  undertook  to  publish 
its  first  treatise  in  a  book  form.  In  his  vernacular  in  1629  he  edited 
a  work  in  Vienna,  under  the  title  "Jezus  Szentseges  Szive  tiszteldi- 
nek  konyve."  3  The  Polish  Jesuit,  Father  Druzbicki,  followed  in  his 
footsteps  with  a  work  whose  title  was  "Meta  cordium,  Cor  Jesu."  4 

These  two  pioneers  paved  the  way  for  the  immediate  precursor  of 
Blessed  Margaret  Mary,  viz.,  Father  Eudes. 

In  the  estimation  of  Father  Le  Dore,  Father  Eudes  justly  merits 
to  be  called  the  first  apostle  of  the  Sacred  Hearts  of  Jesus  and 
Mary.5  The  two  Congregations  and  the  Seminary  Chapel  he 
founded  were  placed  under  the  protection  of  the  Hearts  of  Jesus 
and  Mary.  In  1670  he  edited  a  work  entitled  "La  devotion  au 


,  S.  J.,  Friends  and  Apostles  of  the  Sacred  Heart,  from  the 
fourth  to  the  nineteenth  century.  Benziger  Bros.,  1915. 

1  BAINVEL,  Coeur  Sacre  de  Jesus.  (In  the  Dictionnaire  de  Theologie 
Catholique,  VACANT,  col.  313.) 

'Book  for  the  lovers  of  the  Sacred  Heart  of  Jesus. 

4  BAINVEL,  op.  cit.,  col.  314. 

5  See  his  work  Le  Pere  Eudes,  le  premier  Apotre  des  SS.  Coeurs  de  Jesus 
et  Marie,  Paris,  1870. 


ADUMBRATIONS  OF  THE  CULT  OF  THE  SACRED   HEART  25 

Coeur  adorable  de  Jesus,"  in  which  he  inserted  an  Office  and  Mass 
in  honor  of  the  Sacred  Heart.  The  same  year  it  received  the 
approbation  of  three  Bishops.  He  established  a  feast  of  the  Sacred 
Heart  and  the  Mass  and  Office  composed  by  him  were  read.  Father 
Le  Dore  quotes  the  words  of  approbation  of  Bishop  de  Lomenie  de 
Brienne,1  and  those  of  Bishop  de  Maupas  de  Tour.2  It  is  evident 
from  these  citations  that  their  conception  of  the  devotion  was  prac- 
tically the  same  as  it  exists  in  our  own  era.  On  July  25,  1680,  Father 
Eudes  finished  his  work  entitled,  "Coeur  admirable  de  la  ires  sainte 
Mere  de  Dieu."  The  last  of  the  twelve  books  is  devoted  exclusively 
to  the  devotion  to  the  Sacred  Heart  of  Jesus.  Father  Le  Dore,  com- 
menting upon  this  work,  says :  "Cest  un  excellent  traite  de  la  devo- 
tion au  Sacre  Coeur  du  Fils  de  Dieu"  8  Father  Eudes  was  declared 
Venerable  by  a  decree  issued  on  January,  1904,  and  honored  with 
the  title  "Auctor  liturgici  cultus  SS.  Cordium  Jesu  et  Mariae." 

Pere  Bouvier,  in  his  excellent  article,  maintains  that  Mgr.  Lan- 
guet4  ignored  the  merit  of  this  great  forerunner  of  the  Sacred  Heart 
devotion.  This  statement  is  not  founded  on  truth.  Mgr.  Languet, 
in  the  life  of  Blessed  Margaret  Mary,  published  in  1729,5  pays 
a  signal  tribute  to  Pere  Eudes.  He  calls  him  "the  most  zealous 
hero  of  this  illustrious  devotion."  He  gives  a  summary  of  his  life ; 
enumerates  some  of  his  merits,  and  points  out  that  the  Office  Father 
Eudes  composed,  was  approved  by  the  Archbishop  of  Rouen,  by  six 
Bishops,  and  a  number  of  Doctors  of  the  theological  faculty  of 
Paris.  Clement  X  was  so  pleased  with  the  religious  enthusiasm 


1op  dt.,  p.  129. 

2  op.  cit.,  p.  131. 

9  Op.  cit.,  p.  234. 

4  Etudes  Religieuses,  vol.  LVI,  p.  134. 

8  "II  a  etc  un  des  plus  zeles  Heros  de  cette  illustre  devotion  (aux 
sacres  Coeurs  de  Jesus  et  de  Marie)  et  1'a  inspire  non  seulement  par  ses 
pieux  Ecrits,  mais  encore  par  1'erection  de  plusieurs  devotes  Confrairies  et 
Societes."  (LANGUET,  op.  cit.,  Discours,  p.  50.) 


26  THE    PRIMARY   OBJECTS   OF    WORSHIP 


he  displayed  in  this  respect,  that  in  1674,  he  issued  six  Briefs  of 
Indulgences  in  which  all  the  Churches  of  his  Seminaries  were  to 
participate  in  perpetuity.  Notwithstanding  the  indefatigable  zeal 
Father  Eudes  displayed,  in  order  to  spread  and  make  known  this 
devotion,  the  words  of  Pere  Allet  may  be  repeated  here  with  pro- 
priety: "Pere  Eudes  did  not  receive  from  heaven  a  formal  and 
authentic  mission  to  establish  the  feast  of  the  Sacred  Heart  for 
the  universal  Church.  Irrespective  of  this  privilege,  however,  he 
played  an  important  role  in  its  introduction."  l 


1  AU,ET,  La  France  et  le  Coeur  Sacre,  p.  237. 


CHAPTER  II 

HISTORY  OF  THE  DEVOTION  TO  THE)  SACRED  HEART  IN  THE  PERIOD  OF 
BLESSED   MARGARET   MARY 

From  the  foregoing  chapter,  it  is  evident  that  the  devotion  to  the 
Sacred  Heart,  in  the  time  of  Blessed  Margaret  Mary,  was  not  con- 
fined to  a  narrow  space  or  to  a  small  community.  It  had  already 
been  disseminated  through  the  writings  of  the  Saints,  and  the  preach- 
ing of  learned  and  holy  ecclesiastics.  Though,  in  its  present  form, 
it  was  based  on  the  revelations  to  Blessed  Margaret  Mary,  we  can- 
not help  being  struck  by  the  similarity  exhibited  between  our  present 
practice  and  the  one  found  in  the  writings  of  the  Saints  that  lived 
before  the  time  of  the  Beata.  Hence,  it  would  be  unreasonable  to 
suppose  that  the  Visitation  Convent  of  Paray-le-Monial,  within  the 
hallowed  precincts  of  which  the  Beata  spent  twenty  years  of  herv 
life,  was  sheltering  within  its  walls  Visitandines  who,  before  they 
entered  the  religious  life,  had  never  heard  of  such  a  devotion. 

The  order  of  the  Visitation  Nuns  was  established  in  1607  by  the  / 
combined  efforts  of  St.  Francis  de  Sales  and  St.  Jane  Frances  de 
Chantal.  If  we  read  the  writings  of  these  two  holy  persons,  we 
cannot  but  be  impressed  by  the  sublime  sentiments  which  they  enter- 
tained toward  the  Sacred  Heart  of  Jesus.  The  letters  of  St.  Fran- 
cis to  Mother  de  Chantal,  Superior  of  the  first  Visitandine  Convent 
at  Annecy,  show  an  unbounded  confidence  in  the  Heart  of  our 
divine  Lord.  It  seems  that  Divine  Providence  was  guiding  the  cele- 
brated Doctor  of  the  Church  in  the  establishment  of  this  holy  Con- 
gregation that  contributed  so  much  to  the  external  glory  of  God. 

On  June  10,  1611,  St.  Francis  wrote  to  Mother  de  Chantal:     "I 
think,  dear  Mother,  if  you  agree  with  me,  we  shall  select  for  our 

coat-of-arms,   a   heart   pierced   with   two   arrows,   encircled   by   a 

27 


28  HISTORY  OF  THE  DEVOTION  TO  THE  SACRED  HEART 


crown  of  thorns,  and  surmounted  by  a  cross,  graven  with  the  sacred 
names  of  Jesus  and  Mary.  The  Saviour,  when  dying,  gave  us  life 
by  the  opening  of  His  Sacred  Heart."  l  Such  were  the  sentiments 
expressed  by  the  holy  founder  sixty  years  before  Blessed  Margaret 
Mary  received  the  habit.  And  on  another  occasion,  being  sur- 
rounded by  his  spiritual  daughters  in  the  "first  little  Gallery  House," 
his  lips  gave  utterance  to  the  following  words,  actually  prophetical 
in  their  bearing:  "The  other  day  contemplating  in  my  prayer  the 
open  side  of  Our  Lord,  and  gazing  upon  His  Heart,  it  appeared 
to  me  that  our  hearts  were  surrounding  His,  He  being  the  King 
of  the  hearts."  2  In  another  letter  we  find  him  describing  for  them 
the  practice  of  certain  virtues  in  order  that  "the  incomparable  privi- 
lege and  grace  of  bearing  the  title  of  the  Daughters  of  the  Sacred 
Heart  may  be  accorded  to  them."  3  We  may  well  suppose  that  this 
correspondence  which  took  place  between  such  holy  and  revered 
persons,  was  read  to  the  community  for  the  edification  and  spiritual 
advancement  of  the  nuns  whose  interest  it  was  to  serve. 

The  Convent  of  Paray,  under  the  administration  of  the  venerable 
Mother  Hieronyme  Hersant,  sheltered  from  the  world  young  girls 
from  the  most  renowned  families  of  Burgundy.4  These  wise  virgins 


1  "J'ai  done  pense,  ma  chere  mere,  si  vous  en  etes  d'accord,  qu'il  nous  faut 
prendre  pour  armes  un  unique  coeur  perce  de  deux  fleches,  enferme  dans  une 
couronne  d'epines;  ce  pauvre  coeur  servant  dans  1'enclavure  a  une  croix  qui 
le  surmontera.  .  .  .  Le  Sauveur  nous  a  enfantes  par  1'ouverture  de  son 
sacre  Coeuf/'  (BOUGAUD,  Histoire  de  la  Bienheureuse  Marguerite -Marie, 
Paris,  1875,  ch.  VIII,  p.  181.) 

a  "L'autre  jour  en  oraison,  considerant  le  cote  ouvert  de  Notre-Seigneur, 
et  voyant  son  Coeur,  il  m'etait  avis  que  nos  coeurs  etaient  tous  alentour  de  lui, 
qui  lui  faisaient  hommage  comme  au  souverain  roi  des  coeurs."  (  BOUGAUD, 
op.  cit.,  ch.  VIII,  p.  184.) 

8"Les  religieuses  de  la  Visitation  qui  seront  si  heureuses  que  de  bien  ob- 
server leurs  regies  pourront  veritablement  porter  le  nom  de  filles  evangeliques, 
etablies  en  ce  dernier  siecle  pour  etres  les  imitatrices  du  Coeur  de  Jesus  dans 
la  douceur  et  1'humilite,  base  et  fondement  de  leur  ordre,  qui  leur  donnera 
le  privilege  et  la  grace  incomparable  de  porter  la  qualite  de  Filles  du  Sacre 
Coeur  de  Jesus."  (BOUGAUD,  op.  cit.,  ch.  VIII,  p.  187.) 

4  BOUGAUD,  op.  cit.,  ch.  IV,  p.  90. 


IN  THE  PERIOD  OF  BLESSED  MARGARET  MARY  29 


voluntarily  placed  between  themselves  and  the  attractions  of  the 
world  the  barrier  of  a  cloister,  for  in  their  estimation  fame,  riches, 
and  admiration,  were  so  many  dangerous  weapons  which  the  evil 
spirit  employs  to  work  our  spiritual  ruin.  Such  was  the  religious 
atmosphere  permeating  this  Community,  when,  on  May  25,  1671,  the 
doors  of  its  Sanctuary  were  opened  and,  in  the  words  of  the  bio- 
grapher of  Blessed  Margaret  Mary,  "the  King  of  Love  entering 
into  the  dear  Paray,  introduced  therein  His  well-beloved."  * 

Space  does  not  permit  us  to  dwell  at  length  on  the  life  she 
led,  the  numerous  humiliations  that  befell  her  by  Divine  Providence, 
the  trying  misconstructions  and  mortifications  to  which  she  was 
exposed.  Amid  all  these  difficulties,  however,  she  participated  in 
rare  spiritual  favors.  The  Divine  Spouse  signalled  her  out  from 
among  the  rest,  and  destined  her  for  a  mission  which  was  to  be  of 
inestimable  benefit  to  mankind  at  large.  No  one  can  read  her  life 
without  coming  to  the  conclusion  that  Christ  took  a  special  delight 
in  fashioning  and  moulding  her  character  so  as  to  make  her  a  vessel 
of  election.  The  simplicity  with  which  she  relates  her  conversation 
with  Christ,  the  reports  she  gives  of  it  to  her  Superiors,  the  extra- 
ordinary favors  granted,  the  precaution  taken  to  assure  herself  that 
she  is  not  being  misled  by  the  evil  spirit,  the  consultation  she  has 
with  persons  of  learning  and  piety,  are  some  of  the  factors  which 
testify  to  the  authenticity,  reliability  and  credibility  of  the  revela- 
tions narrated  in  her  epistles.  Her  readiness  to  obedience  and  her 
submission  are  two  most  conspicuous  and  praiseworthy  traits  of  her 
character.  She  is  most  eloquently  and  ably  defended  by  the  learned 
Bishop  Languet.  "For  would  the  prince  of  pride,"  he  says,  "inspire 
humility?  Would  he  prescribe  obedience?  Would  he  endeavor  to 
procure  love  toward  Jesus  Christ  ?  Would  he  give  the  humble  Heart 
of  Christ  for  our  model  ?"  2 


,  quand  tout  fut  pres,  le  25  mai  1671,  les  portes  du  sanctuaire 
s'ouvrirent,  et  le  Roi  d'amour,  entrant  dans  le  cher  Paray,  y  introduisit  sa 
bien-aimee."  (BOUGAUD,  op.  cit.,  ch.  IV,  p.  108.) 

2"Le  Prince  de  1'orgueil  inspire-t-il  1'humilite?  Prescrit-il  Pobeissance? 
Cherche-t-il  a  accrediter  1'amour  de  Jesus  Christ,  et  a  donner  son  Coeur 
humble  et  penitent  pour  modele?"  (LANGUET,  op.  cit.,  Discours,  p.  36.) 


30  HISTORY  OF  THE  DEVOTION  TO  THE  SACRED  HEART 


Blessed  Margaret  Mary  was  the  object  of  much  uncharitable 
criticism,  being  represented  as  one  entertaining  illusory  visions, 
and  possessing  inexplicable  peculiarities,  yet,  the  inmates  of  the  con- 
vent admitted  that  she  practiced  virtues  in  a  heroic  degree,  and  mar- 
velled at  her  when  they  submitted  her  to  uncalled-for  tests.1  The 
simplicity  of  her  life,  her  probity  and  uprightness  gradually  capti- 
vated them,  exerting  a  beneficient  influence  over  them.  Finally,  she 
induced  them  to  enroll  themselves  into  an  army  which,  under  the 
leadership  and  the  banner  of  the  Sacred  Heart,  entered  the  arena 
to  combat  the  rapidly  spreading  infidelity  of  France. 

We  can  picture  to  ourselves  the  spiritual  pleasure  which  inun- 
dated her  heart,  when,  on  the  occasion  of  the  anniversary  of  her 
feast,  the  novices  surprised  her  by  erecting  a  makeshift  altar,  and 
ornamented  it  with  a  picture  on  which  the  Heart  of  Christ  was 
penciled,  surrounded  with  flames.2  This  Friday,  July  20,  1685,  was 
the  aurora  of  the  devotion  to  the  Sacred  Heart.  As  the  Superior 
of  these  novices,  she  prostrated  herself  before  this  symbol  of  love, 
her  example  being  followed  by  her  attendants.  The  little  group  of 
worshippers  consecrated  themselves  to  a  special  service  in  honor 
of  the  divine  Heart.3  Her  soul  overflowed  with  spiritual  exaltation, 
and  being  anxious  to  secure  more  adorers  to  the  Sacred  Heart,  she 
extended  an  invitation  to  some  professed  nuns,  but  was  met  with  a 
refusal.4 

From  this  day,  however,  it  was  manifest  that  her  Divine  Spouse 
would  crown  her  efforts  with  success.  Mother  Greyfier,  at  this  time 
Superior  of  the  Community  of  Semeur,  was  her  spiritual  adviser  till 
1684.  Being  formerly  at  the  head  of  the  convent  of  Paray,  she 


1  Vie  et  Oeuvres,  ed.  1915,  torn.  I.,  sec.  Ill,  Procedure  1715,  pp.  443-566. 

2MGR.  GAUTHEY.  La  Vie  et  Oeuvres  de  la  Bienheureuse  Marguerite- 
Marie  Alacoque,  ed.  Ill,  Paris,  1915,  torn.  I,  p.  214. 

8l,ANGUET,  La  Vie  de  la  Venerable  Mere  Marguerite-Marie,  Paris,  1729, 
p.  116. 

4  Vie  et  Oeuvres,  ed.  1915,  torn.  I,  p.  215. 


IN  THE  PERIOD  OF  BLESSED  MARGARET  MARY  31 

learned  to  admire  Blessed  Margaret  Mary,  and  the  Community  of 
Semeur,  as  a  consequence  of  her  inspiring  enthusiasm,  embraced  this 
devotion.  We  owe  to  Mother  Greyfier  the  first  miniature  of  the  Sa- 
cred Heart.  The  Heart  of  Christ  is  represented  on  it  as  surrounded 
by  flames  in  order  to  symbolize  the  burning  love  of  the  Saviour  to- 
ward men,  while  the  encircling  thorns  typified  the  fruits  of  His  love.1 
This  first  miniature  was  sent  to  the  Beata  by  the  Community  of 
Semeur.  To  show  her  gratification  at  the  receipt  of  such  an  unex- 
pected treasure,  it  will  suffice  to  quote  the  words  she  penned  in  a 
subsequent  letter.  "It  caused  me  joy,  a  thousand  times  greater  than 
I  would  have  felt  had  you  placed  me  in  possession  of  all  the  treas- 
ures of  the  world."  2 

As  the  contemplation  of  the  cross  was  the  contributory  cause 
to  much  learning  and  Christian  heroism,  the  almost  uninterrupted 
reflections  on  the  Sacred  Heart  inspired  Blessed  Margaret  Mary 
with  deep  spiritual  insight,  the  acquisition  whereof  cannot  be 
explained  without  a  divine  intervention.  Her  ascendancy  was  not 
confined  to  the  narrow  walls  of  a  convent.  Her  instructions  given 
to  novices,  and  the  letters  addressed  to  her  different  acquaintances 
are  beaming  with  an  unbounded  affection  toward  the  Sacred  Heart. 
The  thoughts  and  advices  they  contain  give  evidence  of  a  striking 
familiarity  with  the  principles  of  asceticism.  With  pleasing  sim- 
plicity and  frequency,  does  she  picture  to  them  the  Heart  of  Jesus 
as  the  source  of  all  love  and  the  fountain  of  all  generosity  for  men. 
It,  indeed,  was  to  her  interest  to  stimulate  this  little  flock  with  such 
sentiments,  for  they  were  to  bring  her  work  to  completion,  and  to 
perpetuate  it,  after  she  had  passed  to  her  reward.  That  her  con- 

1  Fie  et  Oeuvres,  ed.  1915,  torn.  I,  p.  220. 

2  "Je  ne  puis  vous  dire  la  consolation  que  vous  m'avez  donnee,  en  m' envoy- 
ant  son  aimable  representation,  comme  aussi  en  voulant  bien  nous  aider  a 
Thonorer    avec    toute    votre    Communaute.    Cette    nouvelle    me    cause    des 
transports  de  joie  mille  fois  plus  jgrands,  que  si  vous  me  mettiez  en  pos- 
session de  tous  les  tresors  de  la  terre."    (LANGUET,  op.  cit,  liv.  VI,  p.  198; 
Vie  et  Oeuvres,  ed.  1915,  torn.  I,  p.  221. 


32  HISTORY  OF  THE;  DEVOTION  TO  THE:  SACRED  HEART 


stancy  was  crowned  with  a  notable  success,  is  apparent  from  the 
fact  that  even  those,  who  in  the  beginning  were  bitterly  opposed  to 
the  introduction  of  such  a  devotion,  became,  finally,  its  most  ardent 
devotees.1 

The  repeated  apparitions  of  Christ  in  which  He  revealed  to  her 
the  secret  desires  of  His  Heart,  and  instructed  her  what  steps  to 
take  in  order  to  convince  even  the  most  unbelieving,  were  to  her 
the  source  of  great  consolation  and  strength  in  this  onerous  under- 
taking. There  are  four  apparitions  to  which  her  biographers 
attribute  a  signal  importance.  They  all  receive  a  special  mention 
in  the  Memoir  written  by  Les  Contemp  or  dines?  The  one  of  para- 
mount importance  took  place  in  June,  1675.3  In  this  last  and  most 
significant  revelation,  Christ  apprises  her  that  Father  de  la  Colom- 
biere  is  to  assist  her  in  carrying  out  His  designs.  This  devout 
Jesuit  was  no  sooner  informed  of  his  arduous  task  than  he  became 
a  zealous  propagandist  of  the  devotion.  Even  while  yet  at  Paray,  he 
commenced  to  inspire  his  penitents  with  a  tenderness  toward  the 
Sacred  Heart,4  only  to  display  more  ardor  in  its  promotion  after 
his  departure  for  England.5  The  unexampled  readiness  and  enthu- 
siasm with  which  he  engaged  in  disseminating  this  devotion  must 
have  unfailingly  exerted  a  considerable  influence  over  the  Visit- 
andines  of  Paray,  who  fell  within  the  sphere  of  his  acquaintance, 
and  it  made  itself  felt  also  over  those  residing  in  other  religious 
houses.  Thus — through  the  combined  efforts  of  these  two  zealous 
persons — the  Community  in  which  the  Beata  lived,  became  enamored 
of  the  devotion,  and  in  1685,  was  joined  by  the  religious  houses  of 
Moulins,  Dijon  and  Semeur  creating  a  pious  rivalry  to  outdo  one 
another  in  the  fervent  homage  paid  to  the  Sacred  Heart. 


,  op.  cit.,  p.  238;   Vie  et  Oeuvres,  ed.  1915,  torn.  I,  p.  252. 
'Fie  et  Oeuvres,  ed.  1915,  torn.  I,  p.  121;  123;  126;  136. 
8  Vie  et  Oeuvres,  ed.  1915,  torn.  II,  p.  102. 
4  Vie  et  Oeuvres,  ed.  1915,  torn.  I,  p.  138. 
*Vie  et  Oeuvres,  ed.  1915,  torn.  I,  p.  139;  and  BAINVEL,  op.  cit.,  col.  326. 


IN  THE  PERIOD  OF  BLESSED  MARGARET  MARY  33 

Father  de  la  Colombiere  was  instrumental  in  introducing  the 
devotion  into  the  royal  court  of  Paris.  His  writings,  especially  a 
work  published  in  1677,  were  received  with  admiration.  Being  full 
of  rare  unction,  elevation  and  almost  illimitable  noble  sentiments, 
they  made  a  worshipper  of  the  Sacred  Heart  of  nearly  every  one 
that  read  them.1  Finally,  the  Evangelical  Daughters,  as  the  Visit- 
andines  are  styled,  through  Mother  de  Saumaise  in  1688,  received 
permission  from  the  Ecclesiastical  Superiors  to  render  a  solemn 
worship  to  the  Sacred  Heart  in  the  Church  of  the  Visitation  of 
Dijon.  Through  the  solicitude  of  this  same  Superior  there  was  a 
booklet  printed  the  same  year  at  Dijon.  It  contained  an  Office 
and  Litany  in  honor  of  the  Sacred  Heart,  in  the  form  of  reparation 
for  all  the  affronts  Christ  receives  in  the  Blessed  Sacrament.  This 
brochure  was  reprinted  at  Moulins  the  following  year  and,  after 
having  been  slightly  amplified  by  Father  Croiset,  was  widely  dif- 
fused in  the  neighboring  provinces  and  in  Lyons.  Several  editions 
of  it  were  exhausted  the  very  same  year. 

Father  Croiset,  actuated  by  the  incredible  demand  as  manifested 
by  the  rapid  disposal  of  so  many  repeated  editions,  conceived  a 
project  of  writing  a  more  comprehensive  treatise  on  the  devotion. 
It  is  likely  that  his  plan  was  submitted  to  Blessed  Margaret  Mary. 
It  not  only  met  with  her  approval  but,  becoming  his  correspondent 
and  co-laborer,  her  views  of  the  devotion  were  incorporated  into 
the  monumental  work  which  promised  to  be  one  of  the  most  authentic 
and  valuable  that  ever  left  the  press.  Alas,  she  was  not 
to  read  its  printed  pages.  As  the  work  was  near  ing  its 
completion  Blessed  Margaret  Mary,  after  a  holy  life,  fortified  with 
the  sacrament  of  Extreme  Unction,  died  an  edifying  death,  having 
received  Holy  Communion  the  day  before.  This  took  place  on 
Oct.  17,  1690,  when  she  was  in  her  forty-third  year.2 


'LANGUET,  op.  cit.,  p.  304. 

*  Vie  et  Oeuvres,  ed.  1915,  torn.  I,  p.  394,  466;  and  LANGUET,  op.  cit.,  p.  326. 


CHAPTER  III 

HISTORY  OF  THE  DEVOTION  AFTER  THE  DEATH  OF  BLESSED  MARGARET 

MARY 

Father  Croiset,  whose  learning  and  virtue  merited  the  respect 
and  admiration  of  his  contemporaries,  succeeded  the  Beta  in  the 
field  of  spreading  the  devotion.1  The  year  following  the  death 
of  Blessed  Margaret  Mary,  he  published  his  noteworthy  contribution 
to  the  devotional  literature  on  the  Sacred  Heart.  It  contained  a  con- 
cise presentation  of  the  cult  accompanied  by  a  short  life  of  the 
Beata.  He  gives  us  a  few  glimpses  into  her  life,  eulogising  her  vir- 
tues and  extraordinary  holiness.  That  he  was  well  qualified  to 
accomplish  such  a  task  no  one,  conversant  with  the  incidents  of 
his  life,  will  question.  He  was  the  director  of  her  conscience.  With 
frank  openness  and  child-like  simplicity  she  revealed  to  him  the 
secrets  of  her  soul,  and  kept  up  a  correspondence  with  him  up  to 
a  short  time  before  her  death.2 

The  good  effects  which  the  reading  of  this  book  produced  on  the 
public  at  large  were  incalculable,  nor  can  they  be  exaggerated.  An 
unprecedented  demand  having  been  made  for  it,  it  was  submitted 
to  reprint  at  Bordeaux  in  1694  by  the  authority  of  the  Archbishop, 
and  passed  through  a  number  of  editions.  In  1699  it  was  printed 
again  at  Besangon  with  the  addition  of  a  few  pious  reflections  com- 
ing from  the  pen  of  Father  Fromment,  S.  J.  At  Aurillac,  it  went 
through  six  consecutive  reprints  within  a  short  period.  At  last, 
Father  Croiset,  exercising  all  the  care  and  attention  a  work  of  this 


1  BOUGARD,  op.  cit.,  ch.  XIV,  p.  354;  CROISET,  La  Devotion  au  Sacre-Coeur, 
Lyons,  1741,  torn.  II,  p.  279. 

2  CROISET,  op.  cit.,  vol.  II,  p.  278 ;  also  GAUJFFET,  The  Adorable  Heart  of 
Jesus,  London,  1908,  ch.  II,  p.  18. 

34 


HISTORY  OF  THE  DEVOTION  AFTER  THE  DEATH  OF  B.  MARG.  MARY  35 


nature  would  demand,  once  more  revised  and  enlarged  it.  The 
result  was  the  most  reliable  edition  that  has  yet  appeared.  It  was 
published  at  Lyons  in  1698.1  This  contributed  in  a  large  measure 
to  the  growth  of  the  devotion.  Many  chapels  were  erected  in  honor 
of  the  Sacred  Heart.  Some  already  constructed  were  placed  under 
Its  special  protection.  The  feast  began  to  be  solemnized,  as  Christ 
desired,  on  the  day  after  the  Octave  of  Corpus  Christi. 

The  cult  was  no  longer  confined  to  the  narrow  boundary  lines 
of  France.  In  1697,  Mary,  the  wife  of  James  II,  the  de-throned 
king  of  England,  sent  a  petition  to  Innocent  XII  requesting  the 
establishment  of  a  special  feast  and  Mass  in  honor  of 
the  Sacred  Heart  for  all  the  Visitation  convents.  Frigidianus 
Castagnorius  pleaded  her  cause  against  Bottinius.  The  Promoter 
Fidei  opposed  it  on  the  grounds  of  novelty.  A  permission, 
however  was  given  to  celebrate  a  Mass  in  honor  of  the  Five 
Wounds  on  the  day  intimated.2  Thus,  the  petitioners  gained  only 
a  slight  point.  This  apparent  failure,  however,  did  not  place  an 
obstacle  to  the  growth  of  this  devotion.  On  the  contrary,  it  con- 
tinued its  spread  with  even  greater  rapidity  than  hitherto.  In  1726, 
after  a  brief  span  of  about  thirty-six  years,  more  than  300  Societies 
were  erected  in  France,  Flanders,  Germany,  Italy,  Lithuania,  Poland, 
and  Bohemia,  and  its  influence  penetrated  even  beyond  the  sea  into 
China,  Persia,  the  Indies,  Syria,  Canada  and  the  American  Islands. 
It  is  estimated  that  throughout  all  these  different  countries  more 
than  400  Confraternities  could  be  reckoned.3 

In  the  first  chapter  of  the  life  of  Blessed  Margaret  Mary,  Mgr. 
Bougaud,  deploring  the  political  and  moral  conditions  of  France, 

1  LANGUET,  op.  cit.,  p.  307.  One  of  the  editions  of  this  work  has  been  on  the 
Index  from  March  11,  1704  to  Aug.  24,  1887. 

8  NILLES,  De  rationibus  festorum  SS.  Cordis  Jesu  et  purisimi  Cordis  Marlae, 
Oeniponte,  1869,  ch.  I,  p.  18. 

SGAI,UFFET,  op.  cit.,  ch.  II,  p.  22;  LANGUET,  op.  cit.,  p.  310;  BOUGAUD,  op. 
cit.,  ch,  XVIII,  p.  389. 


36  HISTORY  OF  THE  DEVOTION 


predicted  that  this  devotion  would  be  a  most  efficient  remedy  against 
the  numerous  evils  threatening  her  Christian  heredity.  The  first 
French  writers  on  this  devotion  like  to  represent  France  as  being 
the  object  of  a  special  predilection  to  the  Sacred  Heart.  The  pesti- 
lence of  Marseilles  which,  in  a  short  time,  has  reaped  the  harvest 
of  nearly  40,000  souls  offered  a  very  singular  occasion  for  fostering 
this  devotion.1  Our  authority  for  the  foregoing  and  subsequent 
statements  is  found  in  the  Acts  and  Documents  of  that  age,  pre- 
served and  quoted  in  their  entirety  by  Bishop  Languet.2  It  was  only 
after  the  saintly  Bishop  of  Marseilles,  Mgr.  de  Belsunce,  consecrated 
his  whole  diocese  to  the  Sacred  Heart  of  Jesus  that  the  pestilence 
ceased  its  depredations.  This  took  place  in  1720.  Two  years  later 
the  same  pest  was  raging  again  with  an  implacable  fury,  but  as 
soon  as  the  administrative  body  of  laymen  of  that  city  signed  an 
agreement  by  which  they  obligated  themselves  to  promote  the  wor- 
ship of  the  Sacred  Heart  to  the  best  of  their  ability,  the  scourge 
stopped  with  incredible  suddenness.3  As  a  consequence  of  this 
miraculous  occurrence,  the  devotion  to  the  Sacred  Heart  took  a 
deep  root  in  the  hearts  of  the  French  people,  but  especially  of 
the  inhabitants  of  the  city  of  Marseilles. 

The  lion's  share  in  the  spread  of  this  devotion  is  justly  attributed 
to  the  classic  and  authentic  life  of  Blessed  Margaret  Mary  written 
by  Bishop  Languet  and  edited  in  1729.  Mgr.  Bougaud,  who,  in 
1874,  engaged  in  a  similar  undertaking,  makes  the  appropriate  state- 
ment that  Bishop  Languet  was  eminently  fitted  for  such  a  task. 
He  knew  Blessed  Margaret  Mary  personally.  Having  been  in  fre- 
quent communication  with  Paray,  he  was  also  acquainted  with  her 
contemporaries  in  the  convent  life.4  The  learned  author  had  a  free 


1  BOUGAUD,  op.  cit.,  ch.  XVI,  p.  392. 

2  La  Vie  de  la  Venerable  Marguerite-Marie,  Paris,  1729,  pp.  385  ff 
'LANGUET,  op.  cit.,  p.  312;  BOUGAUD,  op.  cit.,  ch.  XVI,  p.  392; 

op.  cit.,  ch.  II,  p.  23. 
4  BOUGAUD,  op.  cit.,  ch.  XVI,  p.  393. 

I 


AFTER  THE  DEATH  OF  BLESSED  MARGARET  MARY  37 


access  to  the  Memoirs  of  the  Beata,  and  refers  to  them  with  fre- 
quency. He  quotes  her  letter  quite  extensively,  describes  her  reve- 
lations, using  her  own  simple  language,  gives  an  exact  exposition  of 
the  devotion  to  the  Sacred  Heart,  and,  with  scholastic  skill,  he 
answers  the  objections  hurled  against  it  by  its  adversaries.  Soon 
the  cult  began  to  spread  to  a  new  field  along  the  shores  of  the 
Mediterranean. 

In  1726,  in  Father  Galliffet,  the  devotion  had  gained  a  new 
Apostle,  who,  in  the  same  year,  issued  a  most  excellent  work  in 
Latin.  At  this  juncture,  Frederick  Augustus,  the  king  of  Poland, 
Henry  Belsunce,  the  Bishop  of  Marseilles,  Philip,  the  king  of  Spain 
and  others,  seeing  the  popularity  of  the  devotion  and  the  numerous 
blessings  which  accrued  from  it,  judged  the  time  opportune  for  the 
renewal  of  the  petition  refused  by  Innocent  XII  on  a  previous  occa- 
sion. Thus,,  Benedict  XIII  was  asked  for  no  less  a  favor  than  to 
establish  the  feast  of  the  Sacred  Heart  for  the  universal  Church.1 
All  the  circumstances  looked  very  favorable  to  the  cause  of  the  peti- 
tioners. Cardinal  Lambertini,  afterward  Benedict  XIV,  was  acting 
as  the  Promoter  Fidei,  while  Father  Galliffet  pleaded  the  cause  of  the 
petitioners.  The  arguments  used  against  the  introduction  of  such 
a  feast  were  practically  identical  with  those  used  thirty  years  before, 
viz.,  the  case  of  the  holiness  of  Blessed  Margaret  Mary  was,  as 
yet,  pending,  the  Church  must  needs  be  on  her  guard  in  giving  her 
approval  to  novelties,  the  acceptation  of  this  devotion  would  give  rise 
to  many  scandals  and  unreasonable  requests,  the  devotion  savors  of 
Nestorianism,  etc.  These,  and  similar  supposedly  adverse  reasons, 
militated  against  its  introduction.  Though,  Father  Galliffet  gave  a 
satisfactory  answer  to  all  these  objections,  Lambertini  won  the  Col- 
lege of  Cardinals  to  his  view  when  he  called  their  attention  to  the 
opinion  that  the  devotion,  as  advanced,  considered  the  heart  as 
the  source  of  all  virtues  and  affections,  the  center  of  all  internal 

,  op.  cit.,  ch.  II,  p.  22. 


38  HISTORY  OF  THE  DEVOTION 


pleasures  and  pains.  This,  he  pointed  out,  involved  a  philosophical 
question  from  the  settlement  whereof  the  Church  ought  to  abstain, 
Thus  originated,  the  negative  decision  of  the  Sacred  Congregation 
handed  down  on  July  30,  1729.1 

Notwithstanding  all  unfavorable  comments,  the  devotion  con- 
tinued its  uninterrupted  progress.  In  1733,  it  was  transplanted  to 
Constantinople.  A  few  years  later  Bishop  Languet's  Life  of  Blessed 
Margaret  Mary  was  translated  into  Arabic  by  Father  Fromage, 
S.  J.,2  and  the  devotion  to  the  Sacred  Heart  started  on  its  triumphant 
conquest  through  the  regions  which  once  resounded  with  the  echoes 
of  the  preaching  of  St.  Paul.3  In  1732,  Father  Galliffet  revised  his 
Latin  work,  and  reissued  it  in  French  with  many  additions  and 
improvements.  His  labor  was  crowned  with  unexpected  success. 
The  work  was  received  with  unparalleled  enthusiasm,  and  shortly 
translations  into  Italian,  German,  Spanish,  Polish  and  other  tongues 
followed  successively  in  its  wake.4 

The  Jansenists,  the  most  bitter  opponents  of  this  cult,  saw  the 
sanction  of  their  opinions  in  the  decision  rendered  by  the  Sacred 
Congregation  in  1729.  Never  were  they  more  elate  nor  more  prod- 
igal in  the  use  of  calumniating  names  and  disparaging  epithets.  Now 
they  became  more  intolerant  than  ever.  "Cordioles,"  "Alacoquists," 
"Idolaters"  names  to  designate  the  worshippers  of  the  Sacred 
Heart,  were  unceasingly  on  their  lips.5 

But  no  hostile  resistance  or  barrier  was  sufficiently  strong  to  check 
the  progress  of  the  devotion.  New  petitions  were  dispatched  to 
Rome  from  the  different  parts  of  the  world,  from  Poland,  Spain, 
America,  Germany,  Italy  and  the  Orient,  requesting  the  granting 


,  op.  tit.,  ch.  II,  p.  41. 
8  Vie  et  Oeuvres,  ed.  1915,  vol.  I,  p.  635. 
8  BOUGAUD,  op.  cit.,  ch.  XVI,  p.  395. 
*  Vie  et  Oeuvres,  ed.  1915,  torn.  I,  p.  634  and  636. 
5  BOUGAUD,  op.  cit.,  ch.  XVI,  p.  396. 


AFTER  THE  DEATH  OF  BLESSED  MARGARET  MARY  39 


of  the  desire  which  was  refused  on  two  previous  occasions.1  At 
last  the  vox  populi  which,  in  this  case,  appeared  to  be  also  the  vox 
Dei,  was  on  its  way  to  victory.  Pope  Clement  XIII  resumed  the 
cause  at  the  instance  of  the  Polish  Bishops  who,  in  their  document, 
called  the  attention  of  the  Head  of  the  Church  to  the  patent  fact  that 
there  were  at  least  1090  Confraternities  of  the  Sacred  Heart  erected 
all  over  the  world.  The  cult  was  universally  diffused,  approved  by 
numerous  Bishops,  accepted  and  encouraged  by  practically  every 
religious  congregation  of  that  age.  All  this  was  urged  as  a  justi- 
fiable ground  for  granting  a  special  feast,  Mass  and  Office.  The 
request  was  granted  for  Poland  and  the  Archcon fraternity  of  Rome, 
on  May  llth,  1765.  Two  months  later  the  Visitation  Nuns  were 
favored  with  a  similar  privilege.2  The  new  impetus  given  by  this 
signal  concession  contributed  more  to  the  spread  of  the  devotion 
than  any  other  factor  connected  with  its  history  except  the  subse- 
quent beatification  of  Blessed  Margaret  Mary,  the  decree  of  which 
was  issued  by  Pope  Pius  IX  on  August  29th,  1864. 

After  this  date,  from  time  to  time,  other  favors  were  bestowed 
on  this  Confraternity.  In  1871,  many  petitions  were  sent  to  Rome 
to  extend  the  feast  to  the  universal  Church,  and  to  consecrate  it  to 
the  Sacred  Heart,  but  Pius  IX  was  loath  to  act  upon  it.  In  1875, 
Father  Ramiere,  Director  of  the  Apostolate  of  Prayer,  dispatched 
a  request  to  the  Supreme  Pontiff,  signed  by  525  Bishops,  asking  him 
to  consecrate  Urbem  et  Orbem  to  the  Sacred  Heart.  He  also  urged 
that  a  day  be  specified  on  which  this  consecration  should  be  renewed 
yearly.3  Through  a  rescript  given  by  the  Sacred  Congregation,  the 
zealous  Director  was  authorized  to  apprise  the  Bishops  of  the  world 
that  the  Holy  Father  conceded  a  plenary  indulgence  to  those  who 
on  June  16th,  1875,  would  consecrate  themselves  to  the  Sacred  Heart 


1  BAINVEX,  op.  cit.,  col.  338. 

2  NILLES,  op.  cit.,  ch.  Ill,,  p.  51  and  52. 

3  BAINVEL,    op.    cit.,   col.    340. 


40  HISTORY  OF  THE  DEVOTION 

by  reciting  the  formula  composed  by  him.  The  then  reigning  Pontiff 
declined  to  take  the  initiative  of  consecrating  the  whole  human  race 
to  the  Sacred  Heart. 

During  the  Pontificate  of  Leo  XIII,  a  letter  reached  the  Vatican 
from  Oporto,  Portugal,  written  by  the  Superior  of  the  Good  Shep- 
herd Nuns,  known  in  the  Community  as  Sister  Mary  of  the  Divine 
Heart.  In  this  she  maintained  that  Christ,  in  a  supernatural  vision, 
instructed  her  to  inform  His  Vicar  that  he  should  consecrate  the 
whole  world  to  His  Sacred  Heart.  Needless  to  say,  all  the 
requisite  inquiry  and  mature  consideration  was  given  to  this  mat- 
ter. Cardinal  Jacobini  communicated  the  result  of  his  investigation 
to  the  Roman  Pontiff,  stating  that  the  writer  of  the  above  mentioned 
epistle  was  regarded  as  a  saint  by  all  who  came  in  contact  with 
her,  and  that  there  was  no  reason  to  entertain  a  misgiving  as  regards 
her  claim  to  an  actual  revelation.1  On  the  strength  of  this  decla- 
ration Leo  XIII,  with  a  formula  composed  and  prescribed  by  him  in 
1899,  acceded  to  this  unexampled  request,  and  this  concession  ever 
after  he  used  to  style  the  "Great  Act"  of  his  Pontificate.2 

The  extensive  influence  of  this  devotion  is  evidenced  in  the  fact 
that,  up  to  the  present,  at  least  sixteen  different  religious  Communi- 
ties were  established  by  various  founders  who  have  selected  the 
name  of  the  Sacred  Heart  to  serve  as  a  special  incentive  and  inspira- 
tion for  their  followers.  There  are,  moreover,  eleven  distinct  devo- 
tions all  calculated  to  promote  the  honor  and  external  glory  of  this 
object  of  love  in  some  particular  way. 

From  the  foregoing  short  survey  of  the  history  of  this  devotion, 
it  is  manifest  that  a  special  Divine  Providence  was  co-operating  with 
the  Church  in  order  that  it  should  attain  the  high  distinction  and 
popularity  of  which  it  is  most  deserving.  At  the  present  time  the 
devotion  is  productive  of  unlimited  good  ;  it  is  widely  diffused,  and 


^  op.  cit.t  col.  342. 
2BAiNVE£,  op.  cit.,  col.  341. 


AFTER  THi:  DEATH  OF  BIASSED  MARGARET  MARY  41 


occasions  the  salvation  of  many  souls.  This  fact  was  appreciated 
by  the  great  Pontiff  when,  in  his  Encyclical,  he  used  the  striking 
and  most  appropriate  comparison:  "In  the  past,  a  cross  appeared 
to  Constantine,  a  pledge  of  faith  and  victory.  And,  behold,  to-day 
a  new  sign  offered  to  our  eyes,  a  token  most  auspicious  and  divine. 
Such  is  the  Sacred  Heart  shining  brilliantly  amid  flames.  It  is  there 
we  are  to  place  all  our  hopes,  it  is  from  that  Source  we  are  to 
expect  the  salvation  of  mankind."  I 


Ecclesia  per  proxima  originibus  tempora  caesareo  iugo  premeretur, 
conspecta  sublime  adolescent!  imperatori  crux,  amplissimae  victoriae,  quae 
mox  est  consecuta,  auspex  simul  atque  effectrix.  En  alterum  hodie  oblatum 
oculis  auspicatissimum  divinissimumque  signum:  videlicet  Cor  Jesu  sacratis- 
simum,  superimposita  cruce,  splendidissimo  candore  inter  flammas  elucens. 
In  eo  omnes  collocandae  spes:  ex  eo  hominum  petenda  atque  expectanda 
salus.  LEO  XIII,  Utt.  Enc.,  die  25  Mali,  An.  1899.  Ada  Sane.  S.,  vol. 
XXXI,  p.  651. 


CHAPTER  IV 

BASIS  OF  THE;  DEVOTION  TO  THE  SACRED  HEART 

In  different  periods  of  history  mankind  frequently  experienced 
certain  spiritual  and  material  needs.  To  alleviate  the  burden  of 
these  needs  God  selected  certain  exceptional  men  and  assigned  them 
to  a  specified  calling.  One  of  the  most  noble  missions,  with  which 
God  vouchsafed  to  favor  the  children  of  men,  was  that  of  St.  John 
the  Baptist.  St.  John  the  Evangelist  describes  it  in  simple,  but  very 
graphic  language.  "This  man,"  he  says,  "came  for  a  witness,  to 
give  testimony  of  the  light  .  .  .  which  enlighteneth  every  man 
that  cometh  into  this  world."  1  This  Light  of  the  World,  of  whose 
fullness  we  have  all  received,  became  the  life  of  the  world ;  not  only 
by  the  part  He  played  in  the  act  of  creation  and  redemption,  but  also 
in  having  diffused  the  light  of  true  knowledge.  True  knowledge, 
especially  since  the  New  Testament,  is  the  moral  life  of  the  soul. 
It  is  in  this  sense  that  we  are  to  expound  the  words  of  St.  Paul 
directed  to  the  Ephesians  "for  you  were  heretofore  darkness,  but 
now  light  in  the  Lord.  Walk  then  as  children  of  light."2 

The  Light  of  the  World,  through  His  death,  accomplished  our 
Redemption.  Therefore,  He  has  a  right  to  expect  a  reasonable 
service.3  A  reasonable  service  referred  to  a  determined  cult,  implies 
three  things,  viz.,  a  sufficient  warrant  for  the  worship,  a  familiarity 
with  the  reasons  and  nature  of  the  devotion,  and  a  proper  use  of 
the  means  whereby  it  is  to  be  rendered.  No  devotion  is  officially 
approved  by  the  Church  without  the  first.  To  familiarize  ourselves 
with  the  motives  which  ought  to  actuate  us  in  a  cult  which  we  prac- 

*John  I.  7-8. 
'Ephes.  V.  8. 
'Rom.,  XII.  1. 

42 


BASIS  OF  THE  DEVOTION   TO  THE  SACRED  HEART  43 


tise,  is  a  duty  incumbent  on  all.  The  practice  and  discipline  of 
the  Church,  combined  with  a  good  judgment,  will  guard  us  against 
going  astray  as  to  the  third. 

In  the  following  chapters  we  shall  attempt  to  apply  the  above 
three  characteristics  to  the  devotion  to  the  Sacred  Heart.  We  shall 
prove  its  legitimacy  by  presenting  those  christological  and  soterio- 
logical  principles  which  underlie  it,  and  on  which  it  rests  as  a  super- 
structure. We  shall,  furthermore,  describe  its  nature  by  pointing 
out  its  material  and  formal  object.  Ever  and  anon  we  shall  likewise 
hint  at  the  means  which  the  Church  has  approved  and  reserved  for 
this  particular  worship. 

Christ  must  be  conceived  as  a  divine  Person  subsisting  in  a  human 
nature.  He  possesses  a  true  human  soul  and  a  true  human  body, 
joined  inseparably  to  His  divine  Person.  Hence,  follows  the  tessera 
of  orthodoxy:  "Godhead  and  Manhood  are  hypostatically  united 
in  Him."  In  consonance  with  the  Sacred  Scripture,  revelation,  tra- 
dition and  the  teaching  of  the  Church,  we  are  to  attribute  two 
natures  and  two  wills  to  Him,  viz.,  divine  and  human  nature,  divine 
and  human  will.  According  to  the  theory,  called  the  Communica- 
tion of  Idioms  in  theological  terminology,  it  is  legitimate  to  transfer 
predicates  and  attributes  from  one  nature  to  the  other,  with  due 
limitation,  but  only  in  the  concrete. 

However,  in  order  not  to  make  a  false  step  in  applying  this 
doctrine,  we  must  not  lose  sight  of  the  fact  that  the  human  body 
and  soul  of  Christ  are  created;  hence  God's  intrinsic  essence  is 
incommunicable  to  them.  They,  however,  may  partake  of  the 
objective  sanctity  of  God,  such  as  the  divinity,  majesty  and  ador- 
ableness  of  the  Logos  which  immediately  affects  the  moral 
grandeur  of  the  Man  Jesus,  for  they  receive  their  excellence 
participatively  from  the  divine  Person  subsisting  in  the 
human  nature.  Since  the  divine  nature  of  Christ  does  not 
derive  anything  from  his  human  nature,  those  other  attributes  which 


44  BASIS  OF  THE  DEVOTION  TO  THE  SACRED  HEART 


belong  essentially  to  the  former  cannot  be  communicated  to  the 
latter.  The  human  nature  of  Christ  has  a  certain  infinite  dignity,  not 
because  He  endowed  it  with  His  intrinsic  divine  Essence,  but, 
because  He  concealed  under  it  the  plenitude  of  His  exalted  infinite 
sublimity,  and  bestowed  on  it  the  effects  of  His  divine  operations.1 
On  this  hypostatic  union  of  the  divine  Person  to  the  human  nature  is 
based  the  adorableness  of  Christ's  humanity  as  well  as  the  infinite 
meritoriousness  of  all  His  acts.  It  is  the  infinite  divine  Person  that 
performs  the  act  as  principium  quod,  through  the  instrumentality  of 
His  finite  nature  as  principium  quo.  Thus,  the  physically  finite  act 
through  the  hypostatic  union  becomes  endowed  with  a  morally 
infinite  value. 

It  is  not  our  intention  to  enter  into  the  discussion  on  the  reality 
of  Christ's  corporal  existence.  St.  Ignatius  of  Antioch,  in  the  early 
part  of  the  second  century,  in  his  letters  of  anti-Docetic  tenor — 
whose  genuineness  is  admitted  even  by  such  eminent  non-Catholic 
critics  as  Harnack,  Zahn,  and  Lightfoot,2 — expounded  and  ably  de- 
fended the  true  Incarnation  of  the  Son  of  God.  The  Sacred  Scrip- 
ture and  the  condemnation  of  Docetism  make  the  teaching  of  the 
Church  unmistakably  clear  in  this  respect.  The  passion  and  human 
affections  of  Christ  are  the  necessary  postulates  of  His  passibility 
and  true  human  body. 

The  body  of  Christ  is  inseparably  united  to  His  divine  Person. 
Whatever  belongs  to  the  Person  substantially  is  to  be  honored  with 
the  self-same  specific  veneration  as  the  Person  Himself.  The  ador- 
ableness of  Christ's  human  body  rests  solely  no  the  hypostatic 
union.  We  do  not  adore  it  for  its  own  sake,  such  an  act  would 
be  blasphemous  and  idolatrous,  for  essentially  it  is  only  a  creature. 
It  is,  however,  the  immediate  terminus  or  object  of  divine  worship, 


1  Humanitas  Christi  ex  eo  quod  est  unita  Deo  habet  quandam  dignitatem 
infinitam  ex  bono  infinite  quod  est  Deus.   S.  THOM.  I,  p.  qu.  25,  art.  VI  ad  4 
'HARNACK,  Expositor,  vol.  Ill,  ser.  3,  p.  11. 


BASIS  OF  THE  DEVOTION  TO  THE  SACRED  HEART  45 

i.  e.,  we  adore  it  in  itself,  on  account  of  the  dignity  and  nobility  to 
which  it  is  elevated  by  the  Second  Person  of  the  Blessed  Trinity. 
Sophronius  in  the  sixth  plenary  Council  (680)  gives  expression  to 
this  teaching  by  stating  that  the  animated  and  intellectual  body  of 
Christ  is  immutably  deified.1  The  worship  paid  to  the  divine  Logos 
does  not  differ,  therefore,  from  the  one  offered  to  His  sacred  body. 
It  must  needs  be  one  and  the  same,  for  it  concerns  one  and  the  same 
Person,  viz.,  latreutic. 

But  the  divine  Person  is  united  hypostatically  not  only  to  the 
Humanity  of  Christ  taken  in  its  totality,  but  also  as  conceived  in 
its  several  parts.  Such  constituent  parts  are,  e.  g.,  His  sacred  feet, 
His  hands,  His  precious  blood,  His  five  wounds,  His  Heart,  etc. 
Consequently,  each  and  every  one  of  these  organic  parts  is  deserving 
of  adoration;  not  as  considered  separately  by  itself,  but  as  viewed 
united  to  the  Godhead.  This  teaching  was  upheld  by  Pius  VI 
(1775-1799),  who  condemned  the  proposition  of  the  pseudo-Synod 
of  Pistoja,  which  maintained  that  a  direct  adoration  of  the  Human- 
ity of  Christ,  or,  what  is  still  less,  a  part  of  the  same,  is  equivalent 
to  rendering  a  divine  honor  to  a  creature.  This  doctrine  was  quali- 
fied as  false,  captious,  injurious  and  detracting  from  that  due  cult 
which  is  exhibited  and  is  to  be  rendered  by  the  faithful  to  the 
Humanity  of  Christ.2 

Thus,  we  have  arrived  at  the  desired  inference,  viz.,  the  Sacred 
Heart  of  Christ — being  the  most  noble  organ  of  His  divine  body — 
is  worthy  of  the  same  worship  as  His  Divinity;  provided,  when 
adored,  it  is  not  considered  abstracted  from,  but  conjointly  with 
His  Person.  It  is  in  this  sense  that  the  Sacred  Heart  is  proposed 
to  our  worship  in  the  devotion  of  which  we  are  treating.  Chris- 
tology  thus  gives  us  an  idea  of  the  nobleness  of  the  organ  which 


'"Caro  animata  et  intellectualis  immutabiliter  deificata."    MANSJ,  torn.  XI, 
actio  XI,  col.  475. 
'Bull  AUCTOJLEM  FIDEI,  Bull.  Rom.  Con.,  vol.  X,  p.  2719. 


46  BASIS  OF  THE  DEVOTION  TO  THE  SACRED  HEART 

forms  the  material  object  of  our  devotion.  If  we  wish  to  inquire 
into  the  origin  of  its  formal  object,  viz.,  love,  we  have  to  call  to 
our  aid  the  leading  principle  of  Soteriology. 

The  Redemption  of  mankind  was  accomplished  by  the  three 
divine  Persons  of  the  Blessed  Trinity  acting  simultaneously, 
though — for  the  sake  of  easier  realization — we  attribute  a  different 
task  to  each  of  the  three  Persons.  God  the  Father  conceived  the 
plan  of  mercy  and  justice.  God  the  Son  actuated  by  love  and  of 
His  own  free  will  volunteered  to  carry  out  the  wishes  of  the  Father. 
God  the  Holy  Ghost  through  the  instrumentality  of  Mary  put  into 
actual  operation  the  will  of  both.  Thus  in  the  final  analysis  and 
by  appropriation  it  may  be  said  that  it  was  the  Holy  Ghost,  the 
Donum  Dei,  who  has  given  mankind  its  most  inestimable  and  per- 
fect gift,  the  human  nature  of  Christ  through  which  we  are  to  be 
reconciled  to  God. 

There  is  a  deep  mystery  hidden  in  this  divine  economy  of  the  In- 
carnation and  Redemption.  The  Holy  Ghost  is  the  term  of  the  love 
which  the  Father  and  the  Son  from  eternity  entertain  for  each  other 
He  is  the  relation  of  Love  personally  subsisting  in  the  Godhead, 
synonymous  with  Hypostatic  Love,  as  the  Son  is  synonymous  with 
Hypostatic  Wisdom.  St.  Ambrose  does  not  hesitate  to  refer  to  the 
Holy  Ghost  as  the  "Osculum  Patris  et  Filii."  Thus  the  Incarna- 
tion, inspired  as  it  was  by  love,  by  way  of  appropriation  is  referable 
to  the  Holy  Spirit  as  its  special  ultimate  efficient  cause.  This  not 
only  accentuates  love  as  the  leading  motive  operating  throughout 
the  whole  work  of  Redemption,  but  establishes  a  reciprocal  relation 
ad  extra  between  the  God-man  and  the  Holy  Ghost;  a  relation 
which  did  not  exist  before  the  Incarnation  became  a  fact.  For 
while  in  the  creation  of  the  Saviour's  human  nature,  as  in  all 
operations  ad  extra,  the  three  divine  Persons  acted  as  one  principle, 
still  in  the  historical  sense  of  Scripture,  the  Holy  Spirit  seems  to 
have  been  assigned  a  very  special  role. 


BASIS  OF  THE  DEVOTION  TO  THE  SACRED  HEART         47 


God  the  Father  selected  the  Blessed  Virgin  Mary,  and  prepared 
her  body  and  soul  for  her  exalted  mission,  but  it  was  the  Holy 
Ghost  that  "descended  upon  her."  It  was  His  power  that  "over- 
shadowed her"  a  and  caused  to  germinate  in  her  womb  that  human 
nature  which  the  Second  Person  assumed.  Consequently  the  his- 
torical Jesus  Christ,  the  God-man,  was  conceived  by  the  Holy 
Spirit,  for  "as  Mary  was  espoused  to  Joseph,  before  they  came 
together,  she  was  found  with  child  of  the  Goly  Ghost."  2 

These  considerations  help  us  to  realize  the  dignity  and  excellence 
of  the  human  body  of  Christ  even  irrespective  of  His  divine  Per- 
son ,and  especially  in  the  light  of  the  hypostatic  union.  They  show 
us  that  the  primary  motive  of  the  Redemption  was  love,  and  aid  us 
to  realize  the  quality  of  the  principle  which  inspired  the  whole 
economy  of  the  Incarnation.  Jesus  was  conceived  by  Love,  the 
Word  became  flesh  for  love  of  us ;  and  all  the  subsequent  acts  of 
the  God-man  were  an  uninterrupted  manifestation  of  a  love  so 
ardent  that  it  induced  Him  to  remain  with  us  to  the  end  of  the 
world. 

The  principles  enunciated  in  this  chapter  ought  to  be  clearly 
borne  in  mind  when  we  meet  controversialists  whose  favorite  objec- 
tion lies  in  the  gratuitous  assumption  and  groundless  imputation  that 
the  Church  advocates  a  worship  which  has  its  sole  foundation  in 
the  phantasmagoric  illusions  of  a  visionary  nun.  The  Church  has 
never  approved  a  public  cult  unless  it  was  in  perfect  harmony  with 
faith  and  morals,  Sacred  Scripture,  and  tradition,  independently  of 
all  private  revelation.  In  the  present  instance  the  supernatural 
visions  of  Blessed  Margaret  Mary  are  only  a  contributory  cause  to 
the  spread  of  the  devotion  to  the  Sacred  Heart.  They  contributed 
in  a  large  measure  toward  its  general  acceptance,  and  promoted  the 


*Luke  I.  35. 
*Matt.  I.  18. 


48        BASIS  OF  THE  DEVOTION  TO  THE)  SACRED  HEART 

definite  formulation  of  its  objects,  but  it  does  not  depend  on  them 
for  its  theological  basis.  In  a  preceding  chapter  we  have  already 
proved  that  the  devotion  existed  many  centuries  before  the  time  of 
Blessed  Margaret  Mary.  Occasional  references  may  be  found  as 
early  as  the  fifth  century  alluding  expressly  to  the  Sacred  Heart. 
They  become  quiet  frequent  in  the  works  of  mediaeval  Saints  and 
spiritual  writers,  and  after  the  middle  of  the  15th  century  they  are 
countless  in  number.  From  that  time  on  the  pictured  and  sculptured 
representations  of  the  Sacred  Heart  are  multiplying  very  rapidly.1 
The  devotion  assumed  a  fairly  definite  shape  in  the  century  immedi- 
ately preceding  that  of  Blessed  Margaret  Mary,  and  even  merited  the 
approbation  of  a  number  of  local  prelates.  It  is  not  an  exaggeration 
to  say  that — irrespective  of  the  supernatural  manifestations  with 
which  Christ  deigned  to  favor  this  humble  Visitandine — the  cult  of 
the  Sacred  Heart  would  have  eventually  claimed  its  rightful  place 
among  the  various  devotions  of  the  Church.  Such  a  legitimate  con- 
clusion is  warranted  by  its  rapid  development  and  the  popularity  it 
enjoyed  especially  in  the  time  of  Father  Eudes.  Thus,  the  reve- 
lations did  no  more  than  hasten  an  event  which,  in  the  ordinary 
course  of  things — judging  from  the  facts  as  they  were  gradually 
unfolding  themselves  to  the  perspective — was  practically  inevitable. 
The  principle  on  which  the  devotion  to  the  Sacred  Heart  rests 
is  far  from  being  something  new.  St.  Thomas  in  his  attempt  to 
elucidate  it  makes  use  of  the  following  well-known  comparison.  We 
may  consider  two  things  in  a  person  to  whom  honor  is  given,  viz., 
the  person  himself  and  the  cause  of  his  being  honored.  Properly 
speaking,  honor  is  given  to  a  subsistent  thing  in  its  entirety;  for 
we  do  not  speak  of  honoring  a  man's  hand  or  foot,  it  is  not  by  rea- 
son of  these  members  being  honored  of  themselves,  but  by  reason 
of  the  whole  being  honored  in  them.  In  this  way  a  man  may  be 


1  GILBERT  DOLAN,  Dublin  Review,  O.  S.  B.,  April,  1897,  p.  373. 


BASIS  OF  THE;  DEVOTION  TO  THE  SACRED  HEART  49 


honored  even  in  something  external;  for  instance,  in  his  vesture, 
his  image  or  his  messenger.1  Guided  by  this  ratiocination  the  theo- 
logians conclude  that  the  primary  material  object  of  the  devotion 
to  the  Sacred  Heart  is  Jesus  Christ  Himself  in  His  Entirety.  Hence, 
a  cult  like  that  of  the  Sacred  Heart,  properly  speaking,  is  a  latreu- 
tic  co-adoration,  for  we  adore  the  Heart  with  the  rest  of  the  parts 
of  Christ's  sacred  Humanity,  including  His  divine  prerogatives.  The 
Heart  is  thus  worshipped  secundum  se,  and  in  se,  but  not  proper  se. 


Sum.  TheoL,  p.  Ill,  qu.  XXV,  art.  I. 


CHAPTER  V 


THE  MATERIAL  OBJECT  OF  THE  DEVOTION  TO  THE  SACRED  HEART. 


We  read  in  the  life  of  Blessed  Margaret  Mary  *  that  two  years 
after  she  made  her  profession,  while  absorbed  one  day  in  prayer 
and  contemplation  before  the  Blessed  Sacrament,  Our  Divine  Lord 
appeared  to  her,  and  said :  "Behold  the  Heart  which  has  loved  men 
so  much."  Here  we  have  a  picture  in  which  the  material  as  well  as 
the  formal  object  of  this  devotion  is  clearly  set  in  relief.  Christ  ex- 
hibited Himself  whole  and  entire,  hence,  He  is  to  be  worshipped  as 
such.  This  apparition  corresponds  to  the  primary  material  object  of 
the  devotion  to  the  Sacred  Heart.  He  designated  the  secondary 
material  object  when  He  pointed  to  His  Heart  saying:  "Behold 
the  Heart."  He  indicated  the  formal  object  with  the  words  that 
follow:  "Which  has  loved  men  so  much,"  words  expressive  of  the 
love  of  Christ. 

Pesch  2  distinguished  between,  what  he  calls,  the  obiectum  integ- 
rum  and  the  objectum  proximum.  By  the  former  he  designates  the 
primary  material  object  of  this  devotion,  viz.,  Christ  in  His  insep- 
arable unity.  Under  the  latter  he  combines  Christ's  Sacred  Heart 
and  His  love.  Bishop  Languet  states  that  this  devotion  consists  in 
loving  Jesus  Christ  whom  we  have  continually  with  us  in  the  Blessed 
Sacrament,  and  toward  whom  we  are  to  exhibit  the  same  love  by 


1  LANGUET,  op.  cit.,  p.  129. 
*Prael.  Dog.,  vol.  IV,  p.  106. 

50 


THE)  MATERIAL  OBJECT  OP  THE  DEVOTION  TO  THE  SACRED  HEART      51 

various  practices.1  St.  Alphonsus  is  of  the  same  opinion.  2  Bern- 
ard Jungman  agrees  in  substance  with  the  two  foregoing  authors 
by  saying  that  the  primary  object  of  this  devotion  is  the  immense 
love  of  Our  Lord  which  He  showed  principally  in  His  passion  and 
in  the  institution  of  the  Blessed  Sacrament.3 

Without  multiplying  examples  that  are  calculated  to  prove  the 
same  proposition  we  shall  draw  the  inference  that  all  the  acts  of 
worship  redound  primarily  to  the  honor  and  glory  of  Christ  as  God, 
or  as  God-Man,  and  all  else  is  only  a  secondary  consideration,  irre- 
spective of  the  object  to  which  the  worship  is  directed  or  in  which 
it  terminates. 

It  may  appear  very  singular,  says  Father  Noldin,  that  not  even  at 
this  present  age  are  the  opinions  of  the  theologians  and  ascetics  fully 
agreed  as  to  the  object  of  the  devotion  to  the  Sacred  Heart.4  While 
we  do  not  wish  to  gainsay  his  statement,  we  can  likewise  say, 
without  fear  of  contradiction,  that  no  ascetic  or  theologian  of  any 
importance  would  call  in  question  the  doctrine  which  holds  that  the 
proximate  secondary  object  of  this  devotion  is  the  (Heart  of  Christ. 
This  Heart  is  to  be  viewed  in  a  two-fold  sense,  viz.,  as  a  corporal 
organ  and  as  a  symbol.  In  the  former  sense  it  is  the  fleshy  Heart, 
not  lifeless  but  living,  not  separated,  but  hypostatically  united  to 
the  Person  of  the  Logos.  In  the  latter  sense  it  is  taken  figuratively 
as  representing  the  love  of  Our  Lord.  We  are  to  apply  here  the 
principle  of  St.  Gregory,  i.  e.,  through  the  medium  of  a  visible 
object  we  are  to  form  a  concept  of  something  imperceptible.5  The 

1  "Toute  cette  devotion  ne  consiste,  pour  ainsi  dire,  qu'd,  aimer  ardemment 
Jesus-Christ,  que  nous  avons  sans  cesse  avec  nous  dans  la  sainte  Euchar- 
istie,  et  a  lui  temoigner  cet  amour  par  di verses  pratiques."     (LANGUET,  op. 
cit.,  p.  114.) 

2  Novena  del  cuore  di  Gesu,  initio. 
8  De  Verbo  Incarnato,  p.  231. 

*"Es  diirfte  befremdend  erscheinen,  dass  man  sich  uber  den  Gegenstand 
der  Herz-Jesu-Andacht  von  Seite  der  Theologen  und  Asceten  zur  Stunde 
noch  nicht  volkommen  geeinigt  hat."  (Die  Andacht  sum  heiligsten  Herzen 
Jesu,  Innsbruck,  ed.  1910,  p.  70.) 

8  Brev.  Rom.,  Pars.  Autum.,  Horn,  pro  Com.  nee  Virg.  nee  Mart. 


52  THE   MATERIAL  OBJECT  OF  THE  DEVOTION 


Preface  of  the  Nativity  enunciates  the  same  truth. 

From  the  foregoing  remarks  it  is  manifest  that  the  body  of  the 
devotion,  or  the  object  which  is  within  the  ken  of  the  senses,  is  the 
Heart  of  Christ  as  the  material  sensible  element.  The  soul  of  the 
devotion,  viz.,  its  formal  object  or  motive,  is  the  element  symbolized 
by  the  Heart,  i.  e.,  the  supersensual  element  or  the  charity  of  Christ. 
St.  Augustine  tells  us  that  love  is  the  foundation  of  all  the  affections 
conceived  by  man's  desiderative  faculties.  Thus,  we  may  uphold 
the  statement  made  by  Cardinal  Pie:  "The  devotion  to  the  Sacred 
Heart  is  the  very  quintessence  of  Christianity,  the  epitome  and  sub- 
stantial summary  of  the  whole  of  religion."  * 

In  order  to  give  expression  to  the  whole  doctrine  in  incisive  per- 
spicuous terms  we  re-state  that  in  the  devotion  of  which  we  are 
treating  we  worship  the  Heart  of  Christ  as  symbolizing  His  love. 
We  honor  His  love  under  the  symbol  of  His  Heart.  These  two 
objects  having  an  intimate  relationship  with  one  another  it  follows 
that  they  are  not  to  be  separated  in  the  mind  of  the  worshipper. 
The  Heart  is  to  be  considered  as  the  supplement  of  the  love,  and 
vice  versa.  The  corporal  and  sensible  Heart  and  its  supersensual 
love  are  to  be  viewed  ad  modum  unius.  They  claim  our  worship 
as  one  object,  both  being  inseparably  united  to  the  Person  and 
soul  of  Christ. 

The  Heart  of  Christ  is  worthy  of  our  veneration  because  it  is 
the  Heart  of  one  "Who  being  in  the  form  of  God  thought  it  not 
robbery  to  be  equal  to  God."  2  We  worship  it  on  account  of  its 
hypostatic  union  with  that  divine  Person  and  nature,  according  to 
which  Christ  is  one  with  the  Father,3  and  not  on  account  of  that 
nature  according  to  which  the  Father  is  greater  than  the  Son.4  The 
excellency,  majesty,  dignity  and  perfection  of  the  Person  of  the 


1  Circular  letter  to  the  clergy  in  1857. 
'Phil  II.  6. 
'John  X.  30. 
'John  XIV.  28. 


To  THE:  SACRED  HEART  53 


Logos  are  the  sources  from  which  this  Heart  receives  its  borrowed 
excellence,  and  they  may  be  attributed  to  it  secundum  quid. 
Through  these  it  becomes  a  transcendentalized  Heart.  Its  function 
is  that  of  a  living  organ  of  a  God-man.  Christ's  human  life  in  ordi- 
nary course  of  events  depends  upon  it.  The  mere  piercing  of  this 
Heart  would  have  resulted  in  the  death  of  the  God-Man  just  as 
inevitably  as  it  was  caused  by  the  manifold  excruciating  agonies. 

Man  is  so  constituted  that  his  relation  to  God  and  to  things  super- 
natural is  a  direct  postulate  of  symbolism.  This  statement  is  borne 
out  by  the  historical  data  of  both  pagan  and  Jewish  nations.  Sym- 
bolism is  such  an  important  factor,  especially  in  things  appertaining 
to  the  spiritual  domain,  that  even  Christ  Himself  would  not  dispense 
with  it.  His  followers  adopted  their  Master's  example  by  making 
free  use  of  symbolism  through  spiritual  and  utilitarian  motives, 
and  occasionally — as  in  the  time  of  persecution — through  sheer 
necessity.  We  all  know  the  unbounded  enthusiasm  which  is  dis- 
played at  the  sight  of  things  symbolical  of  patriotism.  This  same 
hidden  power  is  brought  into  evidence  when  our  eyes  strike  a  sym- 
bol which  we  are  accustomed  to  associate  with  a  religious  idea. 
Iconography  and  iconology  testify  to  this  truth,  for  they  have  always 
been  considered  as  potent  factors  in  secular  and  religious  education. 
It  is  for  this  reason  that  St.  Gregory  lays  such  an  emphasis  on  the 
principle  which  claims  that  man  through  the  intellection  of  things 
visible  arrives  at  the  understanding  of  things  imperceptible.  The 
Church  canonizes  and  applies  this  fundamental  principle  when  in 
the  Preface  of  the  Nativity  she  chants :  "Because  by  the  mystery  of 
the  Word  made  flesh,  from  Thy  brightness  a  new  light  hath  arisen 
to  shine  on  the  eyes  of  our  soul  in  order  that  God  becoming  visible 
to  us  we  may  be  borne  upward  to  the  love  of  things  invisible." 

The  soul  of  man  is  spiritual.  Her  destiny  and  life  are  super- 
natural. By  divine  ordinance  she  is  doomed  to  pass  a  temporary 
existence  in  the  body.  To  promote  her  end  she  is  forced  to  make 


54  THE   MATERIAL,   OBJECT  OF  THE  DEVOTION 

use  of  a  transitory  dwelling.  The  senses  of  the  body  are  the 
primary  and  the  best  adapted  means  for  this  purpose.  A  symbol 
not  only  appeals  to  them  but  helps  one  to  form  a  clearer  idea  and 
a  more  lasting  impression  of  things  beyond  his  ken.  It  whets  the 
appetite  of  the  senses,  so  to  speak.  Christ  being  aware  of  this 
exigency  of  human  nature  exhibits  His  heart  to  be  used  as  a  symbol 
of  His  love.  Thus,  He  succeeds  in  employing  the  faculties  of  the 
body  as  well  as  those  of  the  soul  which  two,  when  combined,  are  in 
a  position  to  produce  a  human  act  pleasing  and  meritorious  in  His 
sight. 

There  are  numerous  sources  which  could  be  adduced  in  testi- 
mony that  the  fleshy  sensible  Heart  of  Jesus  is  the  material  object 
of  this  devotion.  The  few  presented  below  will  suffice  to  establish 
this  proposition. 

I.  Father  Croiset,  the    first  exponent  of    the    devotion  to  the 
Sacred  Heart,  is  well  qualified  to  instruct  us  on  this  point.    "In  the 
exercise  of  even  the  most  spiritual  devotions,"  he  says,  "we  stand  in 
need  of  certain  material  and  perceptible  objects.     It  is  for  this  rea- 
son that  the  Heart  of  Christ  was  selected,  for,  as  a  visible  object, 
it  is  the  worthiest  of  our  respect,  and  the  most  appropriate  to  attain 
the  end  which  this  cult  has  in  view.    For  what  could  be  a  more  natu- 
ral and  better  adapted  symbol  of  love  than  the  heart."  1 

II.  Bishop  Languet,  who  familiarized  himself  with  most  of  the 
writings  of  Blessed  Margaret  Mary,  and  thus  was  in  a  position  to 
pronounce  an  authoritative  judgment  in  this  matter,  confirms  the 
same  opinion.     "In  order  to  make  known  the  object  of  this  devo- 
tion," he  says,  "we  make  it  perceptible  by  the  representation  of  the 
Heart  of  Jesus  Christ.     The  Heart  being  the  most  natural  symbol 

*"Mais  parce  que  nous  avons  toujours  besoin  dans  1'exercice  des  devotions 
meme  les  plus  spirituelles,  de  certains  objets  materiels  et  sensibles,  qui  nous 
frappent  davantage,  nous  en  renouvellent  le  souvenir,  et  nous  en  facilitent 
la  pratique,  on  a  choisi  le  sacre  Coeur  de  Jesus,  comme  I'objet  sensible  le 
plus  digne  de  nos  respects,  et  le  plus  propre  en  meme  temps  a  la  fin  qu'on  se 
propose  dans  cette  devotion.  Et  quel  symbole  plus  propre  et  plus  natur$ 
de  I' amour  que  le  coeur!'  ( CROISET,  op.  cit.,  torn.  I,  ch.  I,  p.  5  and  7.) 


TO  THE   SACRED    HEART  55 


of  love,  consequently,  it  ought  to  serve  as  the  proper  symbolic  rep- 
resentation of  a  devotion  which  consists  entirely  of  love."  l 

III.  Father  Galliffet,  the  indefatigable  champion  of  this  devotion, 
sets  forth  the  same  truth  in  words  that  permit  only  one  interpre- 
tation.   "It  is  not  less  evident,"  he  states,  "that  we  have  to  do  here 
with  the  Heart  itself  of  Jesus  Christ  in  its  simple  and  natural  sense, 
and  not  metaphorically.    Jesus  Christ  speaks  of  His  Heart  actually  ; 
this  is  made  clear  by  the  action  of  uncovering  his  Heart  and  of 
showing  it."  2 

The  subsequent  investigation  will  disclose  to  what  extent  the 
decisions  of  the  Church  reflect  the  teaching  of  these  three  earliest 
exponents  and  pioneers  in  the  field  of  the  devotion  to  the  Sacred 
Heart.  The  reader  will  be  acquainted  with  those  decrees  only 
which  concern  themselves  directly  about  the  material  object  of  this 
devotion. 

IV.  On  Jan.  26,  1765,  the  Polish  Bishops  requested  Clement  XIII 
to  permit   them   to   say   a   special   Mass   and   Office   in   honor   of 
the  Sacred  Heart.3    In  this  petition  they  make  the  following  state- 
ment: "It  is  manifest  that  Christ  referred  to  His  Heart  not  in  its 
metaphorical  sense,  but  in  the  natural  meaning  of  the  word  heart, 
as  it  is  the  most  noble  part  of  His  body.    Therefore,  He  proposes 
to  our  worship  His  sacrosanct  Heart,  not  only  inasmuch  as  it  is  the 
symbol  of  interior  affections,  but  as  it  is  in  se."  4 

1"C'est  pour  faire  connaitre  1'objet  de  cette  devotion,  qu'on  le  rend  sen- 
sible par  la  representation  du  coeur  de  Jesus-Christ,  parce  que  le  coeur  est 
le  symbole  le  plus  naturel  de  I'amour,  et  par  consequent  il  doit  etre  celui  d'une 
devotion  qui  se  reduit  toute  entiere  a  I'amour"  (LANGUET,  op.  cit.,  liv.  IV, 
p.  115.) 

"GAUJFFET,  op.  cit.,  ch.  IV,  p.  44. 

*  Anal.  Jur.  Pont.,  4  ser.  an.  1860,  col.  1239. 

4  "Porro  de  corde  non  translatitie  sumpto,  sed  in  propria  ac  nativa  signify 
catione  accepto,  videlicet  ut  pars  est  corporis  Christi  nobilissima,  eum  locu- 
tum  evidens  est  ex  ipsa  actione  qua  cor  suum  detegens,  vides,  inquit,  Cor 
meum?  De  hoc  ergo  Corde  loquitur,  quod  detegit  ac  monstrat  Hn  igitur 
quae  sit  res  quam  Jesus  colendam  proponit,  nimirum  Cor  suum  sacrosanc- 
tum,  non  tantum  ut  est  symbolum  omnium  interiorum  affectionum,  sed  ut 
est  in  se."  (PoLONi  EPISCOPI,  an.  1765,  Niu,ES,  op.  cit.,  sec.  II,  cap.  II,  p.  98.) 


56  THE:  MATERIAL,  OBJECT  OF  THE  DEVOTION 

It  is  evident  from  the  above  petition  that  the  Polish  Bishops  had 
a  proper  concept  of  the  material  object  of  the  devotion  to  the 
Sacred  Heart,  and  gave  a  precise  expression  to  it.  The  Holy  Father 
acceded  to  their  wishes,  and  in  His  rescript  dated  on  Feb.  6,  1765, 
he  stated  that  with  such  a  permission  the  Holy  See  intended  to 
spread  the  already  existing  devotion,  and  symbolically  to  com- 
memorate the  remembrance  of  that  divine  love  by  which  the  only 
Begotten  Son  of  God  took  upon  Himself  human  nature,  and  being 
obedient  unto  death,  offered  Himself  to  men  as  an  example,  for  He 
was  meek  and  humble  of  heart.1 

The  above  decree  which  extended  the  specified  privilege  to  the 
Bishops  of  Poland  and  the  Archcon fraternity  of  Rome,  finds  its 
official  interpretation  in  the  Mass  and  Office  both  approved  by  the 
same  Pontiff  on  May  11,  1765. 

On  Aug.  23,  1856,  Pius  IX  raised  the  Feast  of  the  Sacred  Heart 
to  the  dignity  of  a  duplex  maior,  and  extended  it  to  the  universal 
Church.  He  approved  the  Mass  Miserebitur,  the  oration  of  which 
clearly  sets  forth  the  material  object  of  the  devotion.  "Grant,  we 
beseech  thee,  Almighty  God,  that  we  who,  glorifying  in  the  most 
Sacred  Heart  of  thy  beloved  Son,  celebrate  the  singular  benefits 
of  his  love  towards  us,  may  rejoice  equally  in  their  action  and  their 
fruit"2 

In  the  sixth  lesson  for  the  Feast  of  the  Sacred  Heart  it  is  stated 
that  Clement  XIII  permitted  the  celebration  of  this  Feast  to  cer- 


1  Congregatio  Sacrorum  Rituum,  huius  missae  et  officii  celebratione  non 
aliud  agi,  quam  ampliari  cultum  iam  institutum  et  symbolice  renovari  me- 
moriam  illius  divini  amoris,  quo  Unigenitus  Dei  Filius  humanam  suscepit 
naturam,  et  factus  obediens  usque  ad  mortem,  praebere  se  dixit  exem- 
plum  hominibus,  quod  esset  mitis  et  humilis  corde."  (Bull  Rom.  Con.  vol.  VI, 
p.  933.) 

1  "Concede,  quaesumus,  omnipotens  Deus;  ut  qui  in  sanctissimo  dilecti 
Filii  tui  Corde  gloriantes  praecipua  in  nos  caritatis  ems  beneficia  recolimus, 
eorum  pariter  et  actu  delectemur  et  fructu.  (Oratio  Missae  Sacratissimi 
Cordis  Jesu.) 


TO  THE:  SACRED  HEART  57 


tain  Churches  "in  order  that  the  faithful  may  so  much  more  fer- 
vently and  devoutly  worship  the  charity  of  the  suffering  Christ 
under  the  symbol  of  the  Sacred  Heart."  1 

V.  In  the  Pseudo-Synod  of  Pistoja  the  Jansenists  proclaimed 
this  devotion  to  be  erroneous  in  the  form  in  which  it  was  approved 
by  the  Holy  See.     Pope  Pius  VI,  in  his  bull.  Auctorem  Fidel, 
issued   on   Aug.   28,    1794,   brands   their   doctrine    (prop.    62)    as 
"false,  temerarious,  pernicious,  offensive  to  pious  ears  and  injurious 
to  the  Apostolic   See,  as  if    (prop.   63)    the   faithful  adored  the 
Heart  of  Jesus  considering  it  separated  or  abstracted   from  the 
Divinity,  whereas  in  reality  they  adore  it  as  the  Heart  of  Jesus,  the 
Heart,  namely,  of  the  Person  of  the  Word  with  Whom  it  is  united 
inseparably  in  the  same  way  in  which  the  lifeless  body  of  Christ 
during  the  three  days  of  His  death,  without  being  separated  or  dis- 
sociated from  the  Divinity,  was  adored  in  the  sepulchre.     Hence 
their  doctrine  is  captious,  injurious  to  the  faithful  worshippers  of 
the  Heart  of  Christ."  2 

VI.  To  confirm  this  contention  still  further,  it  will  be  well  to 
quote  a  few  words  of  the  Decree  of  Beatification  of  Blessed  Mar- 
garet Mary,  issued  on  Aug.  19,  1864.     "While  she  was  praying 
with  fervor  before  the  august  Sacrament  of  the  Eucharist,"  the 


'"Quam  charitatem  Christi  patientis  .  .  .  ut  fideles  sub  sanctissimi  Cordis^ 
symbolo  devotius  ac  ferventius  recolant,  Clemens  XIII  ipsius  sacratissimi 
Cordis  festum  nonnullis  Ecclesiis  celebrare  concessit."  (BREV.  ROM.,  Officium 
$$mi  Cordis,  Pars  Aestiva,  Lectio  VI.) 

'"Doctrina,  quae  devotionem  erga  sacratissimum  Cor  Jesu  rejicit  inter 
devotiones,  quas  notat  velut  novas,  erroneas,  aut  saltern  periculosas;  intel- 
/ecta  de  hac  devotione,  qualis  est  ab  apostolica  Sede  probata,  falsa,  temera- 
ria  perniciosa,  piarum  aurium  offensiva,  in  apostolicam  Sedem  injuriosa. 
Item  in  eo  quod  cultores  cordis  Jesu  hoc  etiam  nomine  arguit,  quod  non 
advertant  sanctissimam  carnem  Christi,  aut  eius  partem  aliquam,  aut  etiam 
humanitatem  totam  cum  separatione,  aut  praecisione  a  divinitate  adorari  non 
posse  cultu  latriae;  quasi  fideles  Cor  Jesus  adorarent,  cum  separatione  vel 
praecisione  a  divinitate,  dum  illud  adorant,  ut  est  cor  Jesu,  cor  nempe 
Personae  Verbi,  cui  inseparabiliter  unitum  esty  ad  eum  modum,  quod  ex- 
sangue  corpus  Christi  in  triduo  mortis  sine  separatione,  aut  praecisione  a 
divinitate  adorabile  fuit  in  sepulchro,  captiosa,  in  fideles  cordis  Christi  cul- 
tores injuriosa."  (Bulla  Auctorem  Fidei,  Pius  VI,  prop.  62  and  63.  See 
Bull.  Rom.  Con.,  vol.  X,  p.  2719.) 


58  THE   MATERIAL   OBJECT  OF  THE  DEVOTION 


decree  states,  "Our  Lord  intimated  to  her  that  it  would  be  pleasing 
to  Him,  if  the  worship  of  His  most  Sacred  Heart,  burning  with 
love  for  mankind,  were  established,  and  He  wished  the  charge  of 
this  to  be  consigned  to  her."  1  "In  order  the  more  to  enkindle  this 
fire  of  charity,"  the  decree  continues,  "He  would  have  the  adora- 
tion and  worship  of  His  most  Sacred  Heart  established  and  propa- 
gated in  the  Church,  for  who,  indeed,  is  there  so  hard-hearted 
and  unfeeling  as  not  to  be  moved  to  reciprocate  the  love  of  that 
amiable  Heart  which  was  pierced  and  wounded  with  the  lance/'  2 

From  these  words  it  may  be  rightly  concluded  that  the  devotion 
was  to  be  such  as  was  inculcated  by  Blessed  Margaret  Mary.  Her 
writings  give  ample  evidence  that  the  physical  corporal  Heart  of 
Christ  was  repeatedly  presented  to  her  eyes  in  a  visible  form.  It 
is  such  apparitions  that  induced  her  to  endeavor  to  pay  a  tribute  of 
love  to  the  Sacred  Heart,  and  make  an  effort  to  stimulate  others  to 
follow  in  her  footsteps. 

VII.  The  Beata  qualified  the  Heart  of  Christ  as  the  seat  of 
divine  charity,  and  always  considered  it  as  a  factor  indissolubly 
united  with  the  devotion.  The  Iconography  of  the  Sacred  Heart 
as  approved  by  the  Congregation  of  the  Holy  Rites  is  in  consonance 
with  her  view.  It  decreed  on  Jan.  16,  1885,  that  the  officially 
recognized  picture  or  statue  of  this  devotion  is  one  which  repre- 
sents the  whole  figure  of  Christ  with  His  Heart  visibly  exhibited. 
The  Heart  has  a  just  claim  to  such  a  prominence,  because  it  is  the 
material  or  sensible  object  through  which  the  supersensual,  i.e.,  the 
love,  is  to  be  reached.3 

'"lamvero  ante  augustissimum  Eucharistiae  Sacramentum  eidem  fervidius 
orante  signification  est  a  Christo  Domino,  gratissimum  sibi  fore  si  cultus  in- 
stitueretur  sacratissimi  sui  cordis  humanum  erga  genus  charitatis  igne 
•flagrantis,  ac  velle  se  huius  rei  curam  ipsi  demandatam." 

*"Hunc  vero  charitatis  ignem  ut  magis  incenderet,  sanctissimi  sui  cordis 
venerationem  cultumque  institui  in  Ecclesia  voluit,  ac  promoveri.  Ecquis  enim 
tarn  durus  ac  ferreus  sit  quin  moveatur  ad  radamandum  Cor  illud  suavissi- 
mum  idcirco  transfixum  ac  vulneratum  lancea."  (Anal.  Jur.  Pont.,  7  ser.  an. 
1864,  col.  934  and  935.) 

*  Decreta  Authentica,  C.  S.  R.  Dec.  3625. 


TO  THE  SACRED  HEART  59 


The  arguments  thus  far  adduced,  if  viewed  with  due  deliberation, 
ought  to  suffice  to  carry  conviction  to  every  theologian.  In  order 
not  to  leave  room  for  even  the  slightest  doubt  about  the  material 
object  of  the  devotion  in  question,  it  will  be  well  to  quote  a  few 
select  passages  taken  from  more  modern  authors.  This  investiga- 
tion will  serve  two  purposes,  viz.,  it  will  apprise  us  of  the  concept 
they  entertained  of  the  material  object  of  this  devotion,  and  will 
also  show  us  in  what  sense  they  propagated  it  in  their  respective 
languages  and  countries. 

A.  In   the  middle  of  the   18th  century   St.   Alphonsus   Liguori 
wrote  a  work  entitled  "Novena  del  Cuor  di  Gesu."    The  following 
words  borrowed  from  it  will  be  to  the  point.     "Its  material  or 
sensible  object  is  the  most  Sacred  Heart  of  Jesus,  not  indeed  taken 
by  itself,  but  as  united  to  the  Sacred  Humanity,  and  consequently 
to  the  divine  Person  of  the  Word."  * 

B.  Muzzarelli,  whose  work2  was  edited  in  1826,  is  very  explicit 
when  treating  of  the  material  object.    "The  Sacred  Heart  of  Jesus," 
he  says,  "is  to  be  taken  in  its  proper  and  natural  signification,  there- 
fore, it  means  His  fleshy  Heart,  but  always  viewed  as  united  to 
His  Humanity  and  the  Person  of  the  Word."3 

C.  Nilles  in  his  work  of  1869  presents  a  more  authoritative  expo- 
sition of  the  devotion  than  any  writer  previous  to  that  date.     In  his 
characteristic  clearness  he  thus  expresses  himself  concerning  the 
object  of  the  devotion.     "The  Holy  See,  while  proposing  to  our 
worship  the  Heart  of  Jesus,  inasmuch  as  it  is  the  symbol  of  His 


^"L'oggetto  poi  materiale  o  sia  sensibile,  c  il  SS.  Cuore  di  Gesu,  non  gia 
preso  per  se  nudamente,  ma  come  unito  alia  santa  umanita  e  per  consequenza 
alia  divina  persona  del  Verbo."  (LEROY,  De  SS.  Corde  Jesu  eiusque  cultu, 
cap.  Ill,  qu.  XIV,  n.  162,  p.  168.) 

1  Sur  la  Devotion  et  le  Culte  du  Sacre  Coeur  de  Jesus-Christ,  Avignon, 
1826. 

'"Le  Coeur  de  Jesus-Christ  se  prend  dans  le  sense  propre  et  natural,  et 
alors  il  signiile  son  Coeur  de  chair  cependant  toujours  consideree  tommtf 
unie  a  son  Humanite  et  a  la  Personne  du  Verbe."  (MUZZARELLI,  Translation 
from  the  Italian,  Avignon,  1826,  p.  14.) 


60  THE  MATERIAL  OBJECT  OF  THE  DEVOTION 


infinite  love,  meant  to  exhibit  the  double  object  of  the  devotion  to 
the  Sacred  Heart,  viz.,  the  real  and  physical  Heart  of  the  Redeemer, 
and  the  infinite  charity  of  Christ. "  1 

D.  Father  Noldin  through  his  work  of  1883  2  contributed  not  a 
little  towards  the  spread  of  the  devotion  among  the  German-speak- 
ing people.     In  his  estimation  "the  corporal  Heart  is  of  great  im- 
portance, and  of  no  slight  significance  for  the  practice  of  the  devo- 
tion.   Apart  from  the  fact  that  Our  Lord  finds  a  special  delight  in 
seeing  His  love  worshipped  under  the  symbol  of  the  physicial  Heart, 
it  is  the  most  appropriate  and  efficacious  means  of  elevating  man- 
kind, who  are  slaves  to  their  senses,  to  the  knowledge  and  adora- 
tion of  the  charity  of  Christ."  3 

E.  It  is  in  this  sense  that  the  devotion  to  the  Sacred  Heart  has 
been  propagated  among  the  different  nations  of  the  world.     In  a 
very  popular  book,  to  which,  to  a  large  extent,  it  owes  its  dissemina- 
tion in  Hungary,  we  read  that  "it  was  the  will  of  Christ  to  make 
His  real  fleshy  Heart  the  object  of  this  devotion.     It  is  from  that 
Heart  the  devotion  receives  its  name."4 

The  above  quotations,  taken  from  the  decisions  of  the  Sacred 
Congregation  as  well  as  from  divers  authors  of  various  nationali- 
ties living  at  different  times,  clearly  indicate  that,  at  present,  no 


1"Sedes  Apostolica  igitur  dum  Cor  Jesu  colendum  proponit,  quatenus  sym- 
bolum  est  infiniti  eius  amoris,  id  agit,  ut  duplex  nobis  cultus  exhibeat  Sacra- 
tissimi  Cordis  obiectum;  ipsum  symbolum,  h.  e.,  verum  ac  physicum  Cor  Sal- 
vatoris,  et  rem  signatam,  h.  e.,  infinitam  Christi  charitatem."  (NnxES,  op  cit., 
sec.  II,  Praemonitum  II,  p.  77.) 

8  Die-Andacht  zum  heillgsten  Herzen  Jesu,  Innsbruck,  1883. 

*  "Daraus  ergibt  sich,  dass  fur  die  tJbung  der  Andacht  das  leibliche  Herz 
von  iiberaus  grosser  Wichtigeit  und  Bedeutung  ist.  Abgesehen  davon,  dass 
Jesus  Christus  ein  besonderes  Wohlgefallen  findet  daran,  dass  seine  Liebe  im 
Symbole  ides  leiblichen  Herzens  verehrt  werde,  ist  es  das  geeignetste  und 
wirksamste  Mittel,  um  den  an  die  Sinne  gefesselten  Menschen  zur  Hrkennt- 
nis  und  Verehrung  der  Liebe  Christi  zu  erheben/'  (  NOLDIN,  op.  cit.,  ch.  Ill, 
p.  91  and  92.) 

*"Kristztus  akarata  szerint  tehdt  az  o  valosagos  testi  szive  kozveftlen 
tdrgya  ezen  tiszteletnek  es  djtatossdgnak  es  azert  ezen  tisztelet,  es  djtatossdg 
is  ezen  szivtol  kapja  nevet."  ( AUGUSTINE  HUEBNER,  Jesus  Szentseges  Szive, 
Kalocsa,  1891,  p.  54.) 


TO  THE:   SACRED    HEART  61 


theologian  is  authorized  to  hold  that  the  material  object  of  the 
devotion  to  the  Sacred  Heart  is  something  not  yet  definitely  deter- 
mined. If,  a  few  decades  ago,  certain  devotional  manuals  failed  to 
state  this  object  with  sufficient  clearness  and  precision,  it  was  due 
to  the  fact  that  they  concerned  themselves  with  the  spiritual  aspect 
of  the  devotion  rather  than  with  its  material  side.  At  present  all 
the  nations  have  a  uniform  belief  on  this  subject.  It  is  generally 
admitted  that  the  cause  ot  the  popularity  of  this  devotion  lies  in 
its  material  object,  for  it  is  this  factor  that  appeals  to  the  erudite 
as  well  as  to  the  illiterate.  In  view  of  this  fact,  the  Church  places 
on  the  lips  of  Her  Clergy  the  inspiring  invitatory  for  the  Feast  of 
the  Sacred  Heart:  "Come,  let  us  adore  the  Heart  of  Jesus,  the 
Victim  of  love."1 

Christ  as  to  His  Person  lived  from  all  eternity,  not  so,  however, 
as  to  His  human  nature.  But  He  decreed  that  the  body  with  which 
He  reconciled  us  to  His  heavenly  Father  shall  remain  inseparably 
united  to  His  divinity.  We  distinguish  three  states  of  this  cor- 
poral existence  of  the  God-man,  viz.,  His  physical  body  which  He 
assumed  and  in  which  He  suffered  during  His  terrestrial  sojourn, 
His  natural  body  in  the  Blessed  Sacrament  of  the  Altar,  and  His 
glorified  body  in  Heaven.  All  three  states  contain  the  same  identi- 
cal Body  He  assumed  in  the  mystery  of  the  Incarnation,  therefore, 
His  Heart  plays  an  important  role  in  each.  Consequently,  we  wor- 
shop  His  Sacred  Heart  correspondingly  to  theilree  states. 

During  His  earthly  sojourn  the  Heart  of  Christ  was  the  paragon 
of  all  virtues  which  ought  to  excite  our  admiration  and  emulation. 
There  is  a  deep  meaning  hidden  in  the  words  to  which  His  sacred 
lips  gave  utterance :  "Learn  of  Me  because  I  am  meek  and  humble 


1  "Cor   Jesus,    caritatis    victimam,    venite    adoremus."     (Brev.    Rom.,    Pars 
Aestiva.    Off.  prop,  pro  aliquibus  locis.} 


62  THE   MATERIAL   OBJECT  OF  THE  DEVOTION 

of  Heart."  1  His  Heart  in  this  first  state  was  sorrowful  unto 
death.2  During  the  agony  on  the  Mount  of  Olives  His  Heart's 
blood  oozed  through  the  pores  of  His  Body.3  It  was  shed  pro- 
fusely while  the  bloody  scenes  of  Redemption  were  enacted.  Fin- 
ally, His  Heart  was  pierced  with  a  lance  and  thus  emptied  of  all  its 
blood.4  His  Heart  was  the  co-principle  of  all  His  acts  and  affec- 
tions, sharing  and  inspiring  the  love  He  had  for  humanity  which 
ultimately  made  Him  a  Divine  Holocaust  for  the  sins  of  mankind.5 

The  Heart  in  the  second  state,  as  it  resides  in  the  Body  con- 
cealed under  the  sacramental  species,  is  to  be  a  very  special  object 
of  this  devotion.  The  ineffable  love  He  exemplifies  in  this  state 
induced  Him  to  perform  an  act  which  almost  reaches  the  acme  of 
His  omnipotence.  It  is  the  suffering  Heart  in  the  Sacrament  of 
love  to  which,  above  all,  He  asks  us  to  make  reparation  and  amends 
for  the  sacrileges  and  insults  offered  by  ungrateful,  indifferent  and 
unbelieving  souls.6 

After  Solomon  finished  the  Temple  the  Lord  said  to  him:  "I 
have  chosen,  and  have  sanctified  this  place,  that  my  name  may  be 
there  forever,  and  my  eyes  and  my  heart  may  remain  there  per- 
petually."7 This  reference  to  His  Heart  in  the  Old  Testament 
must  be  taken  figuratively,  only  as  an  adumbration  to  be  actualized 
in  the  New  Testament,  when  the  Heart  of  a  God-man  truly  and 


1Matt.  XI.  29. 
'Matt.  XXVI.  38. 

3  Luke  XXII.  44. 

4  John  XIX.  34. 
*Matt.  XXVII.  50. 

"Tour  reconnaissance,  je  ne  regois  de  la  plupart  que  des  ingratitudes,  par 
les  mepris,  les  irreverences,  les  sacrileges  et  la  froideur  qu'ils  ont  pour  moi 
dans  ce  Sacrement  d'amour.  C'est  pour  cela  que  je  te  demande  que  le 
premier  vendredi  apres  1'Octave  du  saint  Sacrement,  soit  dedie  a  faire  une 
fete  particuliere  pour  honorer  mon  Coeur,  en  lui  faisant  reparation  par  une 
amande  honorable."  (LANGUET,  op.  cit.,  liv.  IV,  p.  129.) 

T II  Par.  VII  16. 


TO  THE   SACRED    HEART  63 


really  was  to  sanctify  the  Christian  churches  with  its  real  presence. 

Again,  if  we  reverence  the  statues  and  pictures  which  are  only 
representations,  how  much  more  fitting  it  is  to  worship  the  reality 
of  which  they  are  only  faint  shadows?  In  this  second  state  we 
adore  that  love  of  Christ  which  finds  its  delight  in  being  with  the 
children  of  men,1  and  which  induced  Him  to  remain  with  us  to  the 
consummation  of  the  world.* 

In  the  third  state  we  worship  the  Heart  of  Christ  as  it  dwells  in 
His  glorified  body,  where  it  is  living  perpetually  "to  make  inter- 
cession for  us."3  In  Heaven  it  is  receiving  well-merited  special 
divine  honors  from  the  Angels  of  the  celestial  realm,  and  the  Saints 
whose  present  felicity  was  made  possible  of  attainment  through 
the  shedding  of  its  redemptive  blood.  The  Sacred  Heart  dwelling 
in  heaven  amply  supplies  for  the  lack  of  love  which  the  rational 
and  irrational  creation  shows  the  Creator.  There,  surrounded  with 
unalloyed  love  and  homage,  it  is  partly  compensated  for  its  past  sor- 
rows and  humiliations  by  the  enjoyment  of  infinite  beatitude  and 
the  plenitude  of  ineffable  happiness. 


*Prov.  VIII.  31. 
'Matt.  XXVIII.  20. 
•Heb.  VII.  25. 


CHAPTER  VI. 


THE:  FORMAL,  OBJECT  OF  THE;  DEVOTION  TO  THE  SACRED  HEART. 


Being  cognizant  of  the  innumerable  sources  which  contributed  to 
the  supereminent  elevation  of  the  Heart  of  Christ,  as  well  as  to  its 
many  consequent  excellences,  one  must  not  infer  from  this  that  all 
these  are  of  equal  significance  in  this  devotion  as  it  is  approved  by 
the  Church,  and  diffused  and  practiced  all  over  the  world.  The 
main  characteristic  of  the  Heart  which  chiefly  ought  to  claim  our 
adoration,  and  towards  which  our  attention  should  be  directed 
principally,  is  its  infinite  charity  for  men.  By  this  attitude  of  mind 
we  do  not  mean  to  ignore  the  other  surpassing  qualities  with  which 
it  is  embellished,  and  which  individually  are  entitled  to  the  same 
degree  of  worship.  We  simply  mean  to  intimate  our  preference  in 
favor  of  its  charity  on  account  of  the  close  connection  which  the 
latter  enjoys  with  the  physical  heart,  which  is  generally  accepted  as 
a  symbol  of  love. 

In  a  following  chapter,  when  treating  on  the  inter-relation  of 
heart  and  man's  appetitive  faculties,  it  will  be  pointed  out  to  what 
extent  can  be  justified  the  acceptance  of  the  above  symbolism.  For 
the  time  being  the  attention  of  the  reader  will  be  called  to  the 
created  love  alone.  The  consideration  of  the  somewhat  speculative 
question  of  the  whole  formal  object,  which  ought  to  include  the 
increated  love  also,  must  be  left  to  another  chapter. 

St.  Augustine  is  of  the  opinion  that  love  precedes  all  our  affec- 

64 


THE)  FORMAL,  OBJECT  OF  DEVOTION  TO  THE  SACRED  HEART         65 


tions,  and  is  their  cause.1  St.  Thomas  subscribes  to  this  principle 
unconditionally,  and  proves  its  tenableness.2  Bossuet  enumerates 
the  different  passions  of  our  appetitive  faculties,  and  concludes  with 
the  words:  "Eliminate  love,  and  all  the  passions  disappear,  posit 
love,  and  they  are  all  generated.3  If  this  be  true,  then  all  the  affec- 
tions emanate  from  love  and  corrivate  in  love.  Thus  the  sentiment 
of  love  enjoys' a  prominence  greater  than  which  cannot  be  imagined 
among  the  affections  of  the  human  nature.  Farges  in  his  philo- 
sophico-psychological  inquiry  arrives  at  the  same  conclusion.4 

Christ's  human  nature,  even  if  viewed  abstracted  from  His  di- 
vinity, far  surpassed  ours  in  excellence  and  integrity.  It  possessed 
that  original  righteousness  which  we  lost  on  account  of  the  first 
sin  of  disobedience.5  Therefore,  its  sentiment  of  love  was  of  a  far 
superior  quality  than  ours,  for  it  was  intensified  by  the  sinlessness 
which  characterized  the  first  Adam.  This  same  human  nature  was 
elevated  to  a  still  higher  plane  through  that  union  with  the  divine 
nature  and  Person  of  the  Word  whereby  it  became  impeccable. 
Christ's  appetitive  faculties  and  acts  externalized  the  most  noble 
sentiments  capable  of  being  reduced  to  visibility  by  a  God.  The 
love  that  found  expression  through  them  was  theandric,  hence,  the 
most  altruistic  imaginable.  It  was  intrinsically  opposed  to  all  misan- 
thropy. Christ,  therefore,  may  justly  be  designated  as  the  most 
benevolent  philanthropist  conceivable.  We  must  eliminate  in  Him 
all  desires  incompatible  with  His  divine  Sonship.  His  appetitive 
faculties  crave  nothing  but  what  was  intrinsically  good.  All  His 
pro-passions  were  so  many  divine  virtues  inspired  by  a  god-like  love. 


1  "Amor  praecedit  omnes  alias  animi  affectiones,  et  est  causa  eorum  (De 
Civ.  Dei,  lib.  XIV,  c.  7  and  8.) 

*2a  2ae,  qu.  CLXII,  a.  Ill,  ad  4um. 

'"Enfin  otez  1'amour,  il  n'ya  plus  de  passions,  et  posez  1'amour  vous  les 
faites  toutes  naitre."  (Connaissance  de  Dieu  et  de  soi-meme,  ch.  I,  p.  6.) 

*  ALBERT  FAROES,  S.  S.,  Le  cerveau,  I'ame  et  les  facultes,  part  II    sec   VI 

5  Gen.  Ill,  6. 


66  THE   FORMAL  OBJECT   OF  DEVOTION 


Hence,  He  is  the  very  personification  of  love. 

The  moral  life  of  man  is  not  more  conceivable  without  love  than 
his  physical  life  without  a  heart.  Love  is  the  mainspring  of  all  the 
individual  actions  of  man.  Such  is  the  concept  we  are  to  form  of 
the  love  of  Christ  as  symbolized  by  His  Heart.  To  prove  this 
proposition,  the  same  course  will  be  pursued  as  outlined  when 
treating  on  the  material  object  of  this  devotion. 

I.  The  autobiography  of  Blessed  Margaret  Mary  records  a  revela- 
tion in  which  Christ  appeared  and  said  to  her:  "Behold  the  Heart 
which  has  loved  men  so  much,  that  it  spared  nothing  even  to  ex- 
hausting and  consuming  itself,  in  order  to  testify  its  love  for  them."  l 
We  could  point  out  other  apparitions  in  which  Christ  desires  our 
love  in  return  for  love. 

II.  Father  de  la  Colombiere  was  among  the  first  who  consecrated 
themselves  to  the  service  of  the  Sacred  Heart.     His  motives  for 
such  an  act  were  the  tender  sentiments  Jesus   Christ  entertains 
towards  us  in  the  Sacrament  of  love,  where  His  Sacred  Heart  is 
always  burning  for  the  love  of  men  being  ready  to  shower  upon 
them  manifold  graces  and  benedictions.2 

III.  Father  Croiset  expresses  the  character  of  the  formal  object 
of  his  devotion  in  words  that  will  admit  only  one  meaning.     "It 
consists,"  he  says,  "in  nothing  else  but  in  a  practice  of  love.     Its 
object  is  love,  its  principal  motive  is  love,  love  must  needs  be  its 
end."  3     Further  in  the  same  chapter  he  states  that :  "This  divine 


1  "Voila  ce  Coeur,  qui  a  tant  aime  les  hommes,  qu'il  n'a  rien  epargne  jus- 
qu'a  s'epuiser  et  se  consommer,  pour  leur  temoigner  son  amour."  (Vie  et 
Oeuvres,  ed.  1915,  torn.  II,  p.  102.) 

1  "II  n'eut  pas  plutpt  considere  quel  etoient  les  sentimens  pleins  de  ten- 
dresse  que  Jesus-Christ  a  pour  nous  dans  le  saint  Sacrement,  ou  son  Sacre 
Coeur  est  toujours,  brulant  d'amour  pour  les  hommes,  tpujours  ouvert  pour 
repandre  sur  eux  toutes  sortes  de  graces  et  de  benedictions,  qu'il  ne  put  se 
representer  sans  gemir  les  outrages  horribles  que  Jesus-Christ  y  soufre." 
(CROISET,  op.  cit.,  torn.  I,  p.  15.) 

3  "Ce  n'est  ici  proprement  qu'un  exercise  d' amour,  1'amour  en  est  1'objet, 
1'amour  en  est  le  motif  principal,  et  c'est  1'amour  qui  en  doit  etre  la  fin." 
(CROISET,  op.  cit.,  torn.  I,  p.  5.) 


TO  THE   SACRED    HEART  67 


Heart  considered  as  a  part  of  the  adorable  body  of  Christ,  is  only 
the  sensible  object  of  the  devotion,  its  principle  motive  is  the 
immense  love  Christ  bears  for  men."  l 

IV.  Bishop  Languet  expresses  himself  to  the  same  effect.     "In 
order  to  reveal  the  object  of  this  devotion,  and  to  make  it  sensible," 
he  remarks,  "we  represent  it  by  the  Heart  of  Jesus  Christ.     The 
Heart  being  the  most  natural  symbol  of  love,  consequently,  it  ought 
to  be  the  symbol  of  a  devotion  which  confines  itself  solely  to  love."  2 
Explaining  the  nature  of  the  love  which  forms  the  object  of  wor- 
ship in  this  devotion,  he  continues :  "Its  object  is  the  immense  love 
Jesus  has  for  men,  of  which  he  gave  them  a  precious  token  in  the 
mystery  of  the  Eucharist,  and  which  actuated  Him  when  He  em- 
braced death  for  their  salvation."  3 

V.  Numerous  passages  can  be  gleaned  from  the  work  of  Father 
Galliffet  in  confirmation  of  the  foregoing  statements.     On  account 
of  his  zeal  and  the  knowledge  which  he  had  of  the  various  phases 
of  this  devotion,  his  contemporaries  entrusted  him  with  the  office 
of  pleading  their  cause  as  the  Postulator  Causae,  when  they  peti- 
tioned the  Holy  See  for  a  special  Mass  and  Office  in  1729.    There- 
fore, his  words  ought  to  carry  considerable  weight.     "In  the  devo- 
tion to  the  Sacred  Heart,"  he  says,  "the  essential  motive  for  honor- 
ing it  is  the  love  with  which  it  is  inflamed,  and  the  sufferings  it 
endured  through  the  ingratitude  of  men,  which  has  relation  to  the 
divine  heart,  and  to  no  other  part  of  his  body."  4 

These  five  spiritual  writers,  adduced  as  authorities  concerning 
the  formal  object  of  the  devotion  in  question,  were  the  first  expo- 


1  CROISET,  op.  cit.,  torn.  I,  p.  7. 

^  *  "C'est  pour  faire  connoitre  1'objet  de  cette  devotion,  qu'on  le  rend  sen- 
sible par  la  representation  du  Coeur  de  Jesus-Christ,  parce  que  le  Coeur  est 
le  symbole  le  plus  naturel  de  I'amour,  et  par  consequent  \l  doit  etre  cettui 
d'une  devotion  qui  se  redwt  toute  entiere  d,  I' amour."  (lyANGUET,  op.  di\, 
Liv.  IV,  p.  115.) 

3  LANGUET,  op.  cit.,  liv.  IV,  114. 

4  GAUJFFET,  op.  c\t.,  ch.  V,  p.  61. 


68  THE  FORMAL,  OBJECT  OF  DEVOTION 

nents  of  the  devotion  to  the  Sacred  Heart.  The  Church,  in  spite 
of  all  the  entreaties  on  the  part  of  the  faithful,  for  a  long  time, 
would  not  take  official  cognizance  of  such  a  worship.  Finally  she 
yielded  to  the  insistent  demand,  and  granted  her  approval. 

Subsequent  investigation  will  disclose  that  the  devotion  has  been 
approved  as  advocated  by  its  early  exponents. 

VI.  Pope  Clement  XIII  on  February  6,  1765,  in  a  special  decree 
thus  interpreted  the  motive  for  honoring  the  Sacred  Heart.     "It 
is  to  commemorate  symbolically  the  memory  of  that  divine  love  by 
which  the  only  Begotten  Son  of  God  took  upon  Himself  human 
nature,  and  being  obedient  unto  death,  offered  Himself  to  men  as  an 
example,  being  meek  and  humble  of  Heart."  l 

VII.  On  Sept.  28,  1819,  Pius  VII  permitted  the  Feast  of  the  Sa- 
cred Heart  to  be  celebrated  as  a  double  of  the  first  class  in  the 
Holy  Land  in  order  that  the  places  of  Palestine  sanctified  by  the 
presence  of  Our  Saviour  may  be  the  theatre  showing  forth  His 
vehement  love  for  men,  and  that  the  devotion  to  the  Sacred  Heart 
diffused  in  those  places  far  and  wide  may  grow  from  day  to  day.2 

VIII.  On  Aug.  23,  1856,  Pius  IX  issued  a  decree  in  which  he 
established  the  Feast  of  the  Sacred  Heart  for  the  universal  Church. 
In  this  he  states  that  "Clement  XIII  permitted  some  churches  to 
celebrate  the  Feast  of  the  Sacred  Heart  with  an  Office  and  Mass, 
in  order  to  commemorate  the  immense  divine  love  of  His  Heart."  3 


'"Respondit  Sacra  Congregatio  Sacrorum  Rituum,"  huius  Missae  et  Of- 
ficii  celebratione  non  aliud  agi,  quam  ampliari  cultum  iam  institum  et  sym- 
bolice  renovari  memoriam  illius  amoris  divini;  quo  Ungenitus  Dei  Filius 
humanam  suscepit  naturam,  ,  .  .  (Bull.  Rom.  Cont.,  vol.  VI,  p.  933.) 

*"Palestinae  loca  praesentia  Salvatoris  nostri  Jesu  Christi  sanctificata  in- 
tentissimi  eiusdem  erga  homines  amoris  argumenta  praebeant,  quodque  in 
singulis  illis  locis  longe  lateque  diffusa  Sacratissimi  Cordis  Jesu  devotio  in 
dies  augeatur"  (Anal.  Jur.  Pont.,  an.  1855,  p.  601  and  122;  ib.  NILLES,  op. 
cit.,  pp.  3  and  54.) 

8  "Ex  quo  Clemens  Papa  XIII  in  honorem  sanctissimi  Cordis  Jesu  festum 
cum  officio  et  Missa  nonnullis  Ecclesiis  celebrare  permisit,  ad  immensam  huius 
Cordis  caritatem  recolendam."  (Anal.  Jur.  Pont.,  an.  1857,  p.  2589;  ib. 
,  pp.  3  and  60.) 


TO  THE   SACRED    HEART  69 

IX.  A  clear  presentation  of  this  formal  object  is  found  in  the 
Decree  of   Beatification  given  on  Aug.  J$,   1864.     It  states  that 
Jesus  desired  nothing  so  much  as  to  stimulate  by  every  means  in 
the  souls  of  men  that  charity  with  which  His  Heart  was  consumed. 
.     .     .     And  in  order  the  more  to  enkindle  the  fire  of  charity,  He 
would  have  the  adoration  and  worship  of  His  most  Sacred  Heart 
established  and  propagated  in  the  Church.1 

X.  Pope  Pius  VI  in  his  letter  to  Scipio  de  Ricci  on  June  24, 
1781,  insists  that  "the  substance  of  this  devotion,  whih  is  abso- 
lutely free  from  every  superstitious  materialism,  seeks,  by  means  of 
the  symbolical  representation  of  the  Heart,  to  lead  us  on  to  the  con- 
templation and  veneration  of  the  immense  charity  and  excessive  love 
of  Our  divine  Redeemer."  2 

Without  multiplying  similar  examples,  to  prove  the  conclusion 
already  sufficiently  established,  it  can  be  said  without  fear  of  contra- 
diction, that  all  the  modern  theologians  who  engaged  in  writing  on 
this  subject  expressed  themselves  to  the  same  effect. 

A.  Nilles  maintains  that  the  Apostolic  See  proposed  to  our  ven- 
eration the  Heart  of  Christ,  inasmuch  as  it  is  the  symbol  of  love 
in  order  to  exhibit  the  double  object  of  the  cult,  viz.,  the  symbol 
itself,  i.e.,  the  real  physical  Heart  of  the  Saviour,  and  the  thing 
symbolized,  i.e.,  the  infinite  charity  of  Christ.  Of  these  two,  how- 
ever, the  more  important  is  the  thing  symbolized,  or  the  love  of 
Christ  in  this  case.3 


1  "Jesus  nihil  potius  habuit  quam  ut  flammam  charitatis,  qua  cor  eius  urere- 
tur  in  hominum  animis  modis  omnibus  excitaret.    Hunc  ergo  charitatis  ignem 
ut  magis  incenderet,  sanctissimum  sui  cordis   venerationem  cultumque  institui 
in  Hcclesia  voluit,  ac  promoveri."    (Anal.  Jur.  Pont.,  ser.  VII,  an.  1864,  col. 
934.) 

2  "Substantia  illius  devotionis  ab  omni  certe  superstitiosa  materialitate  im- 
munis  revera  spectet,  ut  symbolice  Cordis  imagine  immensam  caritatem  ef- 
fusumque  amorem  divini  Redemptoris  nostri  meditemur  atque  veneremur." 
(Niu,ES,  op.  cit.,  sec.  II,  cap.  I,  p.  88.) 

s"Sedes  Apostolica  igitur  dum  Cor  Jesu  colendum  proponit,  quatenus 
symbolum  est  infiniti  eius  amoris,  id  agit,  ut  duplex  nobis  exhibeat  cultus 
sacratissimi  Cordis  obiectum,  ipsum  symbolum,  h.  e.,  verum  ac  physicum  Cor 
Salvatoris,  et  rem  signatam,  h.  e.,  infinitam  Christi  caritatem.  Ex  his  vera 
praecipua  est  res  signata  seu  caritas  Christi."  (Niu,E;s,  op.  cit.,  sec.  II,  cap. 
I,  P.  77.) 


70  THE   FORMAL  OBJECT   OF  DEVOTION 

B.  The  same  truth  is  expressed  by  Father  Vermeersch  with  strik- 
ing and  appealing  words.     "I  adore,"  he  says,  "the  material  Heart 
of  Jesus,  but,  while  doing  so,  I  regard  it  as  a  living  symbol  which 
to  me  personifies  all  His  love.     I  adore  the  love  of  Jesus,  and  by 
this  act  I  contemplate  it  in  its  natural  and  sensible  manifestation, 
where  Jesus  shows  it  to  me,  i.e.,  in  the  fleshy  Heart."  x 

C.  Father  Noldin's  view  coincides  with  the  foregoing.     "Hence 
Icve  is  justly  called  the  motive,  and  as  such  the  formal  object  of  the 
devotion  to  the  Sacred   Heart,   exactly  in  the  same  way  as  the 
sufferings  of  Christ  are  said  to  be  the  motive  and  formal  object 
in  the  devotion  to  the  Five  Wounds."  2 

D.  It  is  in  this  sense  'that  the  devotion   is  propagated  among 
the  different  nations  by  writers  who  in  their  vernacular  treated  the 
question.    Thus,  for  instance,  in  a  Hungarian  devotional  manual  it 
is  stated  that  "Our  divine  Lord  made  use  of  His  real  and  fleshy 
Heart  in  order  that  thereby  He  might  reveal  its  love,  and,  enkin- 
dling in  us  flames  of  love,  might  induce  us  to  reciprocate  it."  3 

It  would  be  an  easy  task  to  multiply  similar  examples  almost 
indefinitely.  One  may,  however,  content  himself  with  the  above. 
The  formal  object  of  this  devotion  is  so  clearly  defined  by  the 
decisions  of  the  Sacred  Congregation  and  the  decrees  issued  by  the 
different  Pontiffs  that  it  ceased  to  be  something  indefinite,  or  op- 
tional, nor  is  one  permitted  to  substitute  for  it  something  con- 

1  "J'adore  le  Coeur  materiel  de  Jesus,  mais,  en  1'adorant,  je  le  regarde 
comme  le  symbole  vivant  qui  personifie  pour  moi  tout  son  amour;  j 'adore 
1'amour  de  Jesus,  mais,  en  1'adorant,  je  le  contemple  dans  la  manifestation 
naturelle  et  sensible  ou  Jesus  me  le  montre,  dans  le  Coeur  de  chair."  (  VER- 
MEERSCH, op.  cit.,  Vol.  II,  ch.  I,  art.  IV,  p.  23.) 

a"Darum  wird  die  Liebe  mit  vollem  Recht  das  Motiv  (das  formelle  Motiv), 
und  als  solches  wohl  auch  der  formelle  Object  der  Herz-Jesu  Andacht 
genannt;  gerade  so,  wie  man  die  Schmerzen  Jesu  Christi  das  Motiv  und 
formelle  Objet  der  Andacht  zu  der  heiligen  fiinf  Wunden  nennt."  (Nou)iN, 
op.  cit.,  cap.  Ill,  p.  89.) 

8  "Isteni  Megvaltonk  epen  valosagos  es  testi  szivet  hasznalta  f  el  eszkoziil, 
hogy  szivbeli  szeretetet  kinjilvanitsa  es  benniink  annak  viszonzasara  szeretet- 
langokat  gyujtson."  ( AUGUSTINE  HUEBNER,  Jesus  Szentseges  Szive,  Kalocsa, 
1891,  p.  57.) 


TO  THE   SACRED    HEART  71 

jectural.  The  arguments  adduced  in  confirmation  of  this  conten- 
tion are  so  convincing  that  they  were  instrumental  in  bringing  about 
an  absolute  uniformity  among  the  present  day  theologians  and 
spiritual  writers. 

While  the  Heart  and  the  love  are  two  distinct  elements  of  the 
devotion  in  the  mind  of  the  worshipper,  they  are  to  be 
considered  as  two  partial  objects  forming  a  whole.  The  nobility 
of  the  heart  depends  on  the  dignity,  majesty  and  holiness 
of  him  whose  organ  it  is.  But  the  Heart  of  Christ  because 
of  the  hypostatic  union  shines  with  the  brightness  and  bril- 
liancy of  the  Godhead,  for  His  divine  presence  not  only  permeates 
it  with  its  sanctity  but  His  divine  Person  entrusted  it  with  a  sacred 
function  indispensable  for  the  preservation  of  the  life  of  His  human 
nature.  Therefore,  if  there  were  no  other  reasons,  this  alone  would 
suffice  to  induce  one  to  pay  it  homage  and  adoration.  Such,  how- 
ever, is  not  the  principal  actuating  motive.  While  the  Divinity 
subsisting  in  it  is  always  our  primary  incentive,  it  is  the  super- 
sensual  Heart,  viz.,  Christ's  love  for  mankind  that  inspires  our 
attitude  towards  it.  We  worship  this  love,  for,  when  viewed  as 
created  and  increated,  it  forms  the  very  essence  of  the  God-man. 
We  adore  it,  for  it  was  the  actuating  motive  to  which  all  the  suffer- 
ings of  Christ  are  traceable  in  their  final  analysis.  Hence,  it  is  the 
primal,  immediate  and  principal  cause  of  our  Redemption.  We 
venerate  the  increated  love,  for  it  brought  into  being  a  human  na- 
ture, and  created  a  Heart  which,  embellished  with  human  and 
divine  sanctity,  shed  its  last  drop  of  blood  for  sinful  humanity. 

This  Heart  once  created  and  hypostatically  united  the  divine 
Person  was  destined  to  be  immortal.  Therefore,  since  there  are 
three  principal  states  in  which  the  Heart  may  be  considered,  we 
venerate  its  love  for  reasons  that  are  proper  to,  and  correspond 
with  the  respective  states. 


72  THE  FORMAL  OBJECT   OF  DEVOTION 

The  principal  motive  which  ought  to  actuate  us  in  worship- 
ping the  Heart  as  it  dwelt  in  the  bosom  of  Christ  during  His 
terrestrial  sojourn  is  the  love  with  which  He  accomplished  the 
Redemption  of  mankind;  the  love  which  induced  Him  to  found  a 
Church  with  which  the  redeemed  could  affiliate  themselves;  the 
love  which  stimulated  Him  to  establish  the  Sacraments  and  con- 
stitute them  as  the  channels  of  grace  to  serve  as  vitalizing  and 
strength-giving  means  for  all  who  strive  to  attain  their  glorious 
destiny. 

The  Eucharistic  Heart  symbolizes  that  love  which  induced  Christ 
to  be  with  the  children  of  men  1  to  the  consummation  of  the  world,2 
and  also  the  love  which  influenced  Him  to  conceal  His  divine 
majesty  under  the  veil  of  sacramental  species,  thus  to  offer  us  an 
example  of  heroic  humility  and  self-abasement.3  Finally,  it  sym- 
bolizes that  love  also  which  constrained  Him  to  renew,  in  an  un- 
bloody manner,  the  bloody  sacrifice  of  the  cross  by  being  daily 
immolated  on  our  altars  in  order  to  implore  mercy  from  His 
Heavenly  Father  for  transgressing  humanity,  and,  thus,  to  stay  at 
least  temporarily  the  hand  of  chastisement. 

The  Heart  of  Christ  in  its  glorified  state  symbolizes  the  love 
which  He  entertains  for  the  redeemed,  and  the  love  under  whose 
influence  He  becomes  our  Mediator  and  Intercessor.  Since  the 
Heart  in  this  supernaturalized  state  reaps  the  benefit  of  all  the  work 
undertaken  both  for  God  and  man,  it  may  be  considered  as  the 
personification  of  this  double  love,  and  this  love  may  be  worshipped 
as  symbolized  by  the  transcendentalized  Heart. 


1  Prov.  VIII.  31. 
*Matt.  XXVIII.  20. 
3Matt.  XI.  29. 


CHAPTER  VII. 


THE  HEART  IN  SYMBOLISM. 


There  could  be  nothing  more  timely  at  this  point  of  our  investi- 
gation than  the  question:  Why  do  we  worship  the  love  of  Christ 
through  the  symbol  of  His  Heart?  It  is  obvious  that  there  must 
be  some  particular  reason  for  it.  To  answer  this  question  a  clear 
concept  must  first  be  formed  of  the  symbol,  the  thing  symbolized 
and  the  reason  of  symbolization.  In  theological  terminology  they 
are  called  the  signum,  res  signata  and  ratio  significatus.  In  this 
devotion  the  signum  or  symbolum  is  the  fleshy  Heart  of  Christ.  The 
res  signata  is  His  infinite  love.  The  ratio  significatus  is  the  coher- 
ence which  exists  between  the  two. 

The  word  symbolum  is  derived  from  the  Greek,  and  it  means  to 
put  or  throw  together.  It  implies  an  inference  arrived  at  from 
the  connection  of  two  concepts.  All  theologians  insist  more  or  less 
on  the  relationship  existing  between  the  symbol  and  the  thing  sym- 
bolized. The  purpose  of  the  following  pages  is  to  present  a  tenta- 
tive explanation  of  the  relation  existing  between  the  material  and 
the  formal  object  of  this  devotion  to  justify  it  even  in  this  respect. 
In  order  to  reach  the  desired  conclusion  in  this  regard,  it  will  be 
advisable  to  present  a  brief  treatment  of  the  leading  roles  which 
the  heart  is  called  upon  to  play,  A.  In  Sacred  Scripture;  B.  In 
common  parlance ;  G.  In  physiology  and  psychology. 

A.  1.  The  Sacred  Scripture  designates  the  heart  1.  As  the  ideal 
seat  of  the  affections,  e.g.,  (a)  Joy  and  sorrow:  "Behold  my  servant 

73 


74  THE  HEART  IN  SYMBOLISM 

shall  praise  for  joy  fulness  of  heart,  and  you  shall  cry  for  sorrow 
of  heart."  x  (b)  Envy:  "Let  not  thy  heart  envy  sinners."2  (c) 
Charity  :  "Now  the  end  of  the  commandment  is  charity,  from  a  pure 
heart." 

2.  It  assigns  to  the  heart  intellectual  operations  ;  (a)   Imagina- 
tion :  "Eye  hath  not  seen,  nor  ear  heard,  neither  hath  it  entered  into 
the  heart  of  man  what  things  God  hath  prepared  for  them  that 
love  Him."  4     (b)  Attention  :  "Set  your  hearts  on  all  the  words 
which  I  testify  to  you  this  day."5     (c)   Memory:  "Lay  up  these 
my  words  in  your  hearts  and  minds."  6 

3.  It  is  the  source  of  desire  and  volition,  e.g.     "Wherefore  God 
gave  them  up  to  the  desires  of  their  hearts  unto  uncleanness,  to 
dishonor  their  own  bodies  among  themselves."  7    And,  again,  "From 
it  (the  heart)  come  forth  evil  thoughts,  murders,  adulteries,  forni- 
cations, thefts,  false  testimonies,  blasphemies."  8 

BLUNT  in  his  Dictionary  of  Doctrinal  and  Historical  Theology 
sums  up  all  that  can  be  said  on  this  point.  "The  heart,"  he  says, 
"in  the  Holy  Scripture  is  the  scene  and  subject  of  every  class  of 
operation,  emotional,  intellectual,  active,  incident  to  the  spiritual 
nature  of  man  .  .  it  is  the  whole  man  extensively  and 

intensively.  It  is  a  source  both  of  good  and  evil."  9 

B.  It  is  exactly  in  this  sense  that  all  the  nations  of  the  world 
accepted  the  word  heart.  While  its  meaning  might  have  been  more 
extensive  in  the  past  than  it  is  at  the  present  time,  nevertheless, 
it  is  not  altogether  divested  of  its  former  synecdochical,  metonymical 


UCV.  14. 
*Prov.  XXIII.  17. 

3  1.  Tim.  I.  5. 

4  1.  Cor.  II.  9. 
°Deut.  XXXII.  46. 
'Deut.  XI.  18. 
'Rom.  I.  24. 
*Matt.  XV.  19. 

9  BLUNT,  op.  cit.,  art.  Heart. 


THE  HEART  IN  SYMBOLISM  75 


and  metaphorical  representations.  The  expressions  "Give  me  your 
heart,"  "kind-hearted,  lion-hearted,  pigeon-hearted,"  "with  all  my 
heart"  "to  bring  home  to  one's  heart"  .  .  .  and  many  others, 
have  obviously  a  much  deeper  signification  in  the  common  par- 
lance and  in  the  general  acceptation  of  the  term,  than  they  seem 
to  imply  at  first  sight.  Comparative  Philology  reveals  a  greater 
wealth  of  meaning  connoted  by  the  word  heart  than  by  any  other 
word. 

It  is  not  to  the  point  to  enter  into  a  lengthy  investigation  in 
order  to  reveal  the  source  from  which  the  popular  mind  drew  the 
above  concept  of  the  heart.  Suffice  it  to  say  that  it  was  promoted, 
to  no  small  degree,  by  the  anatomical  doctrines  of  Plato.  He 
divided  the  human  soul  into  three  parts,  and  assigned  a  particular 
function  to  each.  He  localized  the  rational  soul  in  the  head,  the 
ir^ascible  soul  in  the  heart  (thorax),  and  the  appetitive  soul  in  the 
abdomen.1  The  comparison  of  the  soul  to  a  pair  of  winged  steeds 
and  charioteer  will  perhaps  best  explain  the  Platonic  division  of 
the  soul  into  three  elements,  viz.,  Reason,  Passion  (or  Spirit)  and 
the  Appetites.  Here  Reason  is  the  Charioteer,  while  Passion  and 
the  Appetites  are  the  horses.2 

In  Plato's  estimation  the  mortal  soul  whose  chief  characteristic 
is  the  virtue  of  "fortitude  and  spirit  and  which  loves  contention" 
is  located  in  the  thorax.  Thorax  in  this  connection  stands  for 
that  part  of  the  body  which  begins  with  the  collar-bone  and  reaches 
as  far  down  as  the  pelvis.3  In  this  part  "they  (the  gods)  placed 
the  heart  in  a  kind  of  sentry-house."  The  Appetites  are  like  wild 
beasts  chained  to  a  manger,  which  Reason,  dwelling  in  the  head, 
controls  by  the  aid  of  passion,  which  in  turn,  to  a  large  extent, 


'DAVIS,  Works  of  Plato,  London,  1890,  Timaeus,  vol.  II,  sec.  XLIV,  pp. 
380-382. 

2H.  MUELLER,  Platon's  sammtliche  Werke,  Leipzig,  1854.  Phaedrus,  vol. 
IV,  p.  117. 

8  Such  seems  to  be  the  Platonic  concept. 


76  THE:  HEART  IN  SYMBOLISM 

is  held  in  check  by  the  heart.  Thus  every  passion,  no  matter  in 
what  part  of  the  soul  it  originates,  passes  through  the  heart.  Here 
may  be  found  the  explanation  of  the  concept  the  popular  mind 
entertains  of  the  function  of  the  above  organ.  Plato,  however, 
is  not  the  first  who  attributed  such  an  importance  to  the  heart  as 
regards  human  passions.  A  similar  belief  has  been  expressed  in 
the  Jewish  literature  and  the  Sacred  Scripture  long  before  his  time. 

C.  The  Platonic  concept  of  the  heart  implies  a  participation  of 
this  organ  in  man's  moral  life.  Such  a  function  presupposes  an 
ascendancy  exercised  by  it  over  our  appetitive  faculties.  In  con- 
formity with  such  a  view  the  physiologists  of  the  past  accepted  the 
current  belief  of  the  common  people,  and  thus  established  the  mis- 
taken conclusion  that  the  heart  is  the  seat  of  love.  The  Scholastics, 
accepting  this  view,  pictured  the  heart  as  the  medium  or  channel, 
in  which  resided  in  a  dormant  state,  so  to  say,  man's  emotional, 
intellectual,  as  well  as  other  operations1  which  in  order  to  be 
animated  to  action  needed  only  a  stimulus,  the  latter  being  fur- 
nished by  our  needs,  environments  and  various  other  circumstances. 

Such,  however,  is  not  the  present  day  conception  of  the  function 
which  the  heart  is  called  upon  to  perform  in  the  human  organism. 
Lewes,  editor  of  the  Fortnightly  Review,  develops  what  might  be 
called  the  modern  theory  of  the  physiological  aspect  of  the  heart.2 
The  experimentalists,  to  all  appearances,  proved  conclusively  that 
the  functions  attributed  formerly  to  the  heart  are  exercised  by  the 
brain.  Even  if  the  tenableness  of  this  theory  be  not  open  to  ques- 
tion, we  need  not  be  disconcerted.  The  interrelation  existing  be- 
tween the  heart  and  the  brain  will  still  afford  a  sufficient  ground  for 
maintaining  the  symbolism  as  involved  in  the  devotion  to  the  Sacred 
Heart. 


,  De  anima,  lib.  V.,  cap.  IV;  ST.  THOM.  Ha  Ilae,  qu.  XXIX,  a.I, 
Respondeo;  again,  lallae,  qu.  LXXIV,  a.  IX,  ad2. 
a  LEWES,  Heart  and  Brain.    (In  the  Fortnightly  Review,  vol.  I,  p.  67.) 


THE  HE)ART  IN  SYMBOLISM  77 


No  physiologist  would  deny  the  importance  of  the  pulmonary 
circulation.  The  sensibility  of  the  human  body  depends  to  a  great 
extent  on  the  blood.  Even  the  extra-vascular  tissues  of  the  body 
are  dependent  on  it.  The  right  side  of  the  heart  receives  the  blood 
as  it  is  brought  from  the  general  system  of  the  veins,  and  sends  it 
to  the  lungs.  The  left  side  receives  it  from  the  lungs,  and  sends 
it  into  the  general  system.  Thus  the  blood  exercises  an  enormous 
influence  upon  the  vegetative  phenomena,  upon  the  life  of  the 
nerve-cells,  and  to  a  great  extent  their  individual  dynamic  activity : 
consequently,  the  life  of  the  whole  system  depends  upon  it.  The 
continuity  of  the  irrigation  of  the  blood  is,  then,  the  sine  qua  non 
of  the  regular  working  of  the  cerebral  cells.  According  to  the 
estimate  of  Haller,  one-fifth  part  of  the  whole  blood-supply  goes 
to  the  brain.1 

But  in  the  human  organism  the  cardiac  system  and  the  cerebral 
system  are  like  one:  they  interlace  and  interpenetrate  each  other, 
so  that  the  slightest  modification  of  the  one  is  followed  by  a  cor- 
responding change  in  the  other.  The  brain  is  nourished  by  the 
heart,  and  the  latter's  blood,  momently  pumped  into  it,  makes  the 
activity  of  the  former  possible.  The  transmission  of  the  blood  to 
the  lungs  and  its  distribution  throughout  the  organism  are  rendered 
possible  only  through  the  influence  of  the  brain.  The  brain  is  the 
most  delicately  susceptible  of  all  the  organs  to  every  variation  in 
the  quality  of  blood  sent  to  it.  If  the  heart  pumps  feebly,  the 
brain  acts  feebly.  If  the  blood  is  vitiated,  the  brain  is  lethargic. 
Thus  the  two  great  centres  interact.  They  are  both  lords  of  life, 
and  both  mutually  indispensable. 

On  the  other  hand,  every  impression  reacts  on  the  circulation,  a 
slight  impression  producing  a  slight  acceleration,  a  powerful  im- 
pression producing  an  arrest  more  or  less  prolonged.  We  are  all 
familiar  with  the  fact  that  powerful  mental  shocks  momently  arrest 

1  CALDERWOOD,  The  relations  of  mind  and  brain,   ch.  II. 


78  THE  HEART  IN  SYMBOUSM 

the  heart,  and  sometimes  this  arrest  is  final,  as  in  the  case  of  a  very 
sensitive  and  sickly  organism.  The  sensitiveness  depends  on  the 
connection  that  exists  between  the  heart  and  the  brain.  "Thus 
the  heart  is  indissolubly  connected  with  every  manifestation  of  sen- 
sibility, and  it  is  so  delicately  susceptible  to  all  emotional  agitation, 
that  we  may  not  improperly  regard  it  as  the  ancients  regarded  it, 
in  the  light  of  the  chief  centre  of  feeling;  for  the  ancients  had  no 
conception  of  the  heart  as  an  organ  specially  endowed  with  sensi- 
bility, they  only  thought  of  it  as  the  chief  agent  of  the  sensitive 
soul."  *  "Hence  the  heart,  because  its  action  is  momently  involved 
in  every  motion,  and  because  every  emotion  reacts  upon  it,  may,  as 
truly  as  the  brain,  be  called  the  great  emotional  centre."  2  Neither 
brain  nor  heart  can  claim  that  title  exclusively.  They  may  claim 
it  together.3 

The  above  statement  finds  its  confirmation  in  the  words  of  the 
learned  physiologist  Claude  Bernard.  "The  sentiments  we  expe- 
rience," he  says,  "are  always  accompanied  by  some  reflex  action  of 
the  heart  .  .  .  and  the  impression  of  such  sentiments  creates 
a  continuous  exchange  of  influences  between  the  heart  and  the 
brain."  4  From  the  exchange  of  these  influences  Muzzarelli  draws 
the  inference  that  there  is  a  mutual  interrelation  between  the  love 
of  the  soul  and  the  physical  heart.5 


1  LEWES,  /.  c.,  p.  71. 

2 The  modern  physiologists  would  object  to  this  word.  It  implies  too  much 
when  referred  to  the  heart. 

8  LEWES,  loc.  cit.,  p.  71. 

*  "Les  sentiments  que  nous  eprouvons  sont  tou jours  accompagnes  par  des 
actions  reflexes  du  coeur  .  .  .  et  I'impression  de  ces  sentiments  resulte  d'un 
echange  continuel  d'influences  entre  le  coeur  et  le  cerveau."  LEROY,  op.  cit., 
c.  I,  qu.  Ill,  p.  28. 

5  "Quoi  qu'il  en  soit,  les  sentiments,  les  impressions,  les  Jpialpitations 
qu'eprouve  le  coeur  de  chair,  quoique  mediatement  par  1'amour  que  reside 
dans  Tame,  et  que  tout  homme  eprouve  plus  ou  moins  en  lui-meme,  sont 
autant  de  temoins  irrefragables  de  la  correspondence  mutuelle  entre  1'amour 
et  de  lame  et  le  coeur  de  chair,  et  de  la  diffusion  et  communications  des 
effets  d'un  amour  ardent  ou  timide  a  cette  partie  du  corps,  de  quelque 
maniere  que  cela  arrive."  (MuzzAREUJ,  op.  cit.,  p.  232;  ib.  LEROY,  op.  cvt., 
c.  I,  qu.  Ill,  p.  17.) 


THE:  HKART  IN   SYMBOLISM  79 


To  summarize  all  that  can  be  said  on  this  subject,  it  may  be 
maintained  that  all  physiologists  admit  an  influence  exercised  on 
the  heart  by  the  affections  and  passions  of  man.  It  is  likewise  true, 
therefore,  that  the  heart  being  thus  acted  upon,  by  reacting,  par- 
ticipates actively  in  the  affections  of  the  soul.  In  other  words,  it 
is  an  established  physiological  principle  that  extrinsic  impressions 
influence  the  heart  intrinsically,  and  cause  a  reaction  in  it. 

Without  dwelling  on  this  point  any  longer,  it  may  be  concluded 
that,  physiologically  speaking,  the  connection  between  the  heart  and 
the  emotions  is  sufficiently  close  to  authorize  the  statement  that  the 
heart  is  an  indirect  organ  of  the  appetitive  faculties.  Thus  it  par- 
ticipates in  all  the  emotions,  whereof  none  is  stronger  than  love. 
The  heart  being  thus  conceived,  it  may  be  said  that  the  Heart  of 
Jesus  is  an  organ  united  to  the  appetitive  faculty  of  Christ's  human 
nature.  In  this  sense  it  is  the  partial  seat,  organ  and  instrumental 
cause  of  all  the  acts  and  affections,  and  of  all  the  virtues  of  our 
divine  Lord.  Hence,  it  is  a  partial  seat,  organ  and  instrument  of 
the  love  of  Christ.1 

Let  us  now  enumerate  some  of  the  principal  acts  Christ  per- 
formed in  course  of  His  life  on  earth,  and  bring  them  into  corre- 
lation with  His  Sacred  Heart.  His  divine  Person  assumed  a  human 
nature.  For  numerous  reasons  one  of  the  most  noble  parts  of  the 
latter  was  His  Heart.  His  ever-existing  divine  life  consecrated  this 
Heart  which  to  Him  was  the  source  of  His  human  life.  The  in- 
finitely holy,  incomparably  sacred  thoughts,  acts  and  virtues  which 
He  performed  through  the  instrumentality  of  His  body,  sanctified 
His  Sacred  Heart,  and  elevated  it  to  a  dignity  which  perfectly  to 
portray  and  comprehend  in  its  reality  would  necessitate  an  intel- 
lect rivalling  the  divine.  Our  Redemption  was  accomplished  by 
the  suffering  and  death  of  Christ.  Both  these,  while  affecting  all 


1  LEROY,  op.  cit.,  c.  I,  qu.  IV,  p. 


53. 


80  THE  HEART  IN  SYMBOLISM 


the  organic  parts  of  His  body  individually,  have  in  a  special  manner 
affected  His  Heart,  which,  according  to  a  long-adopted  and  scien- 
tifically confirmed  principle,  is  among  the  first  organs  to  live,  and 
among  the  last  to  die.1 

Again,  we  were  redeemed  by  the  shedding  of  Christ's  blood,  the 
consecrated  receptacle  whereof  was  His  Sacred  Heart.  As  the 
Heart  is  the  cause  of  the  blood's  circulatory  motion,  it  is  also  the 
determining  cause  of  its  effusion,  in  the  different  stages  of  Our 
Saviour's  passion,  whether  we  contemplate  His  bloody  sweat,  caused 
by  vehement  impulses  affecting  His  Heart  or  the  wounds  afflicted 
by  the  executioners.  By  the  divine  power  of  the  Logos  He  could 
have  ordained  that  the  blood,  shed  so  lavishly  for  our  salvation,  be 
prevented  from  oozing  out,  but,  He  preferred  to  empty  His  Heart 
for  the  love  of  mankind.  In  addition  to  the  above  reasons,  this 
Heart  merits  a  very  special  veneration  on  account  of  the  wound 
inflicted  on  it  by  the  lance.2 

Leroy  expresses  the  same  opinion  when  applying  to  the  Sacred 
Heart  the  result  of  his  physiologico-psychological  investigation  con- 
cerning the  functions  of  the  Heart.  "The  Sacred  Heart  in  its  super- 
sensual  meaning  (love),"  he  says,  "is  the  supreme  primary  divine 
cause,  as  well  as  the  principal  secondary  human  cause  of  the  Re- 
demption of  mankind.  In  its  obvious  sense  it  is  the  living  fleshy 
organ  of  Christ,  and  as  such  it  is  the  most  congruous  symbol  illus- 
trative of  the  above  two  operations  of  Redemption.  It  is,  moreover, 
according  to  a  probable  opinion,  the  proper  organ  and  the  principal 
seat  of  the  principal  second  cause  of  the  mysteries  of  the  Redemp- 
tion, viz.,  of  the  appetitive  faculty  of  Christ,  which  is  His  human 

1  "Le  coeur  qui  est  de  tous  les  organs  celui  .  .  .  qui  est  entre  le  premier 
en  exercise,  est  encore  le  dernier  mourant;  deja  depuis  longtemps  les  austres 
muscles  ont  cesse  leur  action,  et  le  coeur  vit  encore,  c'est  comme  on  1'a  dit 
depuis  longtemps  le  primum  vivens  et  I'ultimum  moriens"  (LEMiNiER,  Diet, 
des  sciences  med.;  ib.  LEROY,  op.  cit.,  c.  I,  qu.  I,  p.  8.) 

"'John  XIX.  33. 


THE  HEART  IN  SYMBOLISM  81 

love  ;  therefore,  it  is  also  an  instrumental  cause  in  the  consummation 
of  the  same  mysteries.  Combining  the  material  and  the  formal 
object,  we  may  say  that  the  Sacred  Heart  of  Jesus  is  to  be  viewed 
as  the  meritorious  cause  of  the  whole  Redemption,  and  especially 
of  some  of  its  effects.1 

By  endeavoring  to  point  out  the  intimate  relationship  between  the 
heart  and  the  brain,  and  the  former's  participation  in  man's  emo- 
tional sentiments,  it  was  not  our  intention  to  create  the  false  im- 
pression that  such  a  close  connection  is  a  conditio  sine  qua  non  of 
the  devotion  to  the  Sacred  Heart.  Even  if  the  theory  of  modern 
physiologists  would  undergo  a  change,  and  all  interrelation  between 
the  heart  and  the  brain  should  be  eliminated,  the  results  would  in 
no  way  affect  this  devotion.  If  the  coherence  existing  between  the 
heart  and  the  brain,  as  authorized  by  modern  physiological  theory, 
corresponds  to  reality,  then  the  above  conclusions  are  entirely  jus- 
tifiable. Such  a  function  of  the  heart  would  aid  us  in  the  practice 
of  this  devotion,  for  it  would  render  its  formal  object  more  tangible. 
If,  on  the  other  hand,  such  a  correlation  could  not  be  established, 
a  discrepancy  would  indeed  arise  between  the  interpretation  of  a 
phase  of  the  modern  science  and  our  symbolism,  but  the  devotion 
need  not  necessarily  suffer  from  it.  In  religious  matters  the  Church 
does  not  depend  upon  shifting  sands  which  form  the  foundation  of 
so  many  interpretations  given  to  so-called  human  sciences.  This 

1  "Ex  dictis  consequitur  SS.  Cor  Jesu,  dictum  metaphorice,  esse  turn 
causam  primam  supremam  divinam,  turn  causam  secundam  humanam  princi- 
palem  Redemptions  generis  humani;  Cor  vero  Jesu,  sensu  proprio  acceptum, 
organum  corporeum  vivens  animatum  Christi,  esse  imprimis  symbolum  valde 
congruum  causae  illius  principalis  sive  primae  sive  secundae  operis  Redemp- 
tionis  ;  esse  praeterea,  secundum  sententiam  probabilem,  si  non  certam,  a 
nobis  superius  expositam  et  vindicatam,  organum  proprium  et  praecipuam 
sedem  causae  secundae  principalis  mysteriorum  Redemptionis,  scilicet  appeti- 
tivae  facultatis  Christi,  amoris  humani  Eius;  esse  proinde  et  ipsum  causam 
instrumentalem  in  completione  eorundem  mysteriorum;  Cor  Jesu  utroque 
modo  acceptum  esse  causam  meritoriam  totius  Redemptionis,  et  specialiter 
quorundam  Redemptionis  effectum."  (LEROY,  op.  cit.,  c.  I,  qu.  IV,  p.  63  and 
64.)  -5= 


OF  THE 
UNIVERSITY 


82  THE  HEART  IN   SYMBOLISM 


devotion  deals  with  something  spiritual,  something  appertaining  to 
faith,  and  its  symbolism  has  a  sufficient  warrant  apart  from  the 
function  of  the  heart  as  it  is  interpreted  by  the  present  day  physi- 
ologists. 

It  must  be  borne  in  mind  that  the  heart  in  this  devotion  is  not 
viewed  as  the  organ  of  love,  but  only  as  the  symbol  thereof.  Just 
as  the  lily  represents  purity,  the  scale  symbolizes  justice,  and  the 
sickle  conveys  the  idea  of  harvest,  so  the  heart  suggests  the  thought 
of  love.  This  symbolical  signification  of  the  heart  is  so  deep- 
seated  that  it  is  likely  to  last  till  the  end  of  the  world.  After  all, 
symbolism  in  general  may  be  defined  as  the  employment  of  a  con- 
crete tangible  reality,  used  as  a  vehicle  to  convey  to  the  mind  the 
idea  of  an  abstract  or  spiritual  reality.  That  the  heart  in  this  case 
serves  such  a  purpose  most  admirably,  no  one  can  deny.  This  in 
itself,  irrespective  of  any  scientific  basis,  would  suffice  to  justify  the 
choice  which  Christ  made  when  He  selected  the  heart  for  the  symbol 
of  His  love.  Therefore,  we  are  not  inclined  to  subscribe  to  the 
opinion  advocated  by  Father  Galliffet,  viz.,  "if  it  were  a  fact  that 
the  heart  could  have  no  part  in  the  emotion  of  loving,  the  founda- 
tion of  the  proposed  devotion  having  failed,  the  devotion  would 
fall  to  the  ground  of  itself."  l 

A  comparison  might,  perhaps,  bring  out  in  clearer  relief  our  con- 
tention on  this  point.  Threpsology  tells  us  that  bread  is  a  nutri- 
ment of  organic  bodies.  It  can  in  no  way  strengthen  the  soul  or 
satisfy  her  spiritual  needs.  Yet,  it  was  selected  as  the  most  appro- 
priate matter  for  transubstantiation ;  not  on  account  of  its  intrinsic 
fitness  or  worth,  but  because  it  is  the  most  common  of  all  foods, 
and  because  no  symbol  is  calculated  to  represent  more  strikingly 
the  process  and  necessity  of  nourishing  a  famished  soul.  The 
heart,  on  the  other  hand,  is  an  indispensable  organ  of  every  indi- 


,  op.  cit.,  ch.  IV,  p.  49. 


THE  HEART  IN  SYMBOLISM  83 


vidual.  Ancient  literature  as  well  as  the  popular  mind  create  a 
concept  of  its  function  which  fails  to  correspond  to  reality  when 
viewed  intrinsically.  Yet,  it  being  one  of  the  most  noble  organs, 
there  is  a  sufficient  warrant  for  the  acceptance  of  such  a  traditional 
view.  The  modern  physiological  aspect  of  the  function  of  this 
human  organ  is  far  from  lending  itself  to  poetry  and  symbolism  to 
the  extent  to  which  it  adapts  itself  when  viewed  from  the  Platonic 
standpoint. 

An  additional  reason  can  be  drawn  from  Psychology.  It  teaches 
that  supernatural  truths  can  be  grasped  best  through  perceptible 
objects.  The  clearness  and  fulness  of  our  comprehension  of  such 
truths  depend  on  the  appeal  the  symbol  makes  to  the  senses. 
The  deeper  the  impression  made  by  the  symbol,  the  quicker  the 
response  of  the  soul  and  the  more  inspiring  and  enduring  the 
realization  of  the  thing  symbolized.  This  psychological  principle, 
it  may  be  presumed,  actuated  Christ  in  His  choice  of  the  symbol 
for  the  devotion  to  His  infinite  love.  We  fail  to  see  what  other 
object  is  calculated  to  render  the  above  devotion  more  popular  than 
the  one  which  by  a  widespread  international  acceptation  is  the 
most  natural  symbol  of  love. 

Again,  the  ways  of  God  are  inscrutable.  Man's  finite  under- 
standing is  not  able  to  penetrate,  and  weigh  adequately  all  the 
reasons  that  motivate  the  divine  Mind.  It  is  easy  to  conceive  how, 
in  His  range  of  infinite  wisdom,  Christ  might  have  had  special 
ends  in  view  inducing  Him  to  offer  His  Sacred  Heart  to  symbolize 
His  love.  No  man  can  fathom  with  adequateness  all  the  merits 
which  this  divine  Heart  acquired  when  viewed  through  the  mystery 
of  the  Redemption.  Nor  is  any  one  qualified  to  point  out  definitely 
all  the  functions  it  was  called  upon  to  exercise  in  such  an  unparal- 
leled body  as  the  one  which  the  divine  Logos  possessed. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


THE    PRIMARY   AND    SECONDARY   OBJECTS   OF   THE  DEVOTION 
TO  THE  SACRED   HEART. 


In  order  to  supplement  our  knowledge  concerning  the  object  of 
this  devotion  it  would  be  well,  at  this  point  of  our  investigation,  to 
answer  the  much-disputed  question  of  the  moralists  as  to  which  of 
the  two  objects  merits,  and  actually  enjoys,  the  primary  place. 
To  eliminate  all  misunderstanding  it  must  be  borne  in  mind,  from 
the  very  outset,  that  though  the  formal  and  the  material  objects 
are  two  distinct  features  of  the  devotion,  they  are  not  to  be  taken 
in  the  sense  that  one  is  at  liberty  to  show  worship  to  either  of  them 
separately.  Such  a  worship  is,  indeed,  theologically  warrantable, 
but,  it  would  fail  to  be  in  harmony  with  this  particular  devotion  as 
approved  by  the  Church,  and  propagated  among  the  faithful.  The 
spirit  of  the  devotion  requires  that  the  two  objects  be  always  con- 
sidered ad  modum  unius,  for  they  are  two  indivisible  and  insepa- 
rable constituents  of  one  and  the  same  devotion.  For  the  sake 
of  theological  speculation,  however,  they  may  be  viewed  abstractedly, 
not  from  the  divinity  of  the  Logos,  but  only  from  one  another. 

An  object  may  be  primary  either  by  reason  of  excellence  or  in 
the  order  of  time.  Applying  this  rule  to  the  point  under  investi- 
gation the  proposed  inquiry  would  resolve  itself  ultimately  into  the 
question  whether  the  fleshy  Heart  of  Christ,  as  united  to  the  divine 
Person,  is  of  greater  excellence  than  His  love,  or  vice  versa f  The 
answer  to  this  question  will  determine  which  is  the  primary,  and 
which  the  secondary  object  of  the  devotion  to  the  Sacred  Heart  by 

reason  of  excellence. 

84 


THE  PRIMARY  AND  SECONDARY  OBJECTS  Of  THE  DEVOTION         85 


But,  in  our  popular  devotions  the  mind  of  the  worshipper  is  not 
always  directed  to  the  highest  motive,  or  object  which  a  particular 
cult  presents  for  veneration.  While  our  intention  is,  or  always 
ought  to  be,  to  worship  the  more  noble  object,  still,  we  may  begin 
by  giving  honor  to  the  less  noble  first,  because  it  appeals  to  our 
senses  immediately,  and  then  by  means  of  this  we  may  rise  to  the 
higher.  Thus,  in  the  devotion  to  the  Sacred  Heart,  the  first  object 
towards  which  our  worship  may  be  directed  could  be  either  the 
symbol,  viz.,  the  Heart,  which — by  a  transition  of  thought — our 
mind  would  connect  later  with  the  thing  symbolized,  i.e.,  love,  or 
vice  versa.  In  the  first  instance  the  heart  would  be  the  primary 
and  love  the  secondary  object,  in  the  order  of  time.  This  order 
would  be  inverted  in  case  our  worship  begins  with  the  thing  sym- 
bolized, which  is  later  united  to  the  symbol. 

Theologians  debating  the  question  of  primariness  and  secondari- 
ness  of  the  two  objects  of  the  devotion  to  the  Sacred  Heart,  advance 
many  reasons  to  prove  their  individual  convictions.  After  the 
perusal  of  this  chapter  one  should  have  no  difficulty  in  locating  the 
cause  of  the  lack  of  uniformity  in  this  matter. 

To  begin  our  investigation  it  must  be  borne  in  mind  that  in  all 
the  devotions  practiced  in  honor  of  Christ  we  distinguish  a  visible 
and  an  invisible  object.  To  simplify  the  proposed  task  it  will  be 
well  to  advance  the  following  proposition :  In  all  the  devotions  with 
which  we  worship  Christ  that  object  is  to  be  considered  the  pri- 
mary one  to  which  the  cult  owes  the  reason  of  its  existence,  and 
in  which  it  terminates.  The  expression  in  which  it  terminates  does 
not  mean  to  convey  the  idea  of  the  terminus  ultimus,  or  the  final 
end.  In  this  sense  all  the  devotions  practiced  in  honor  of  Christ 
terminate  in  the  divine  Person  of  Christ.  It  means  to  intimate 
the  second  last  terminus  which,  when  brought  into  correlation  with 
the  visible  object,  not  only  bears  a  close  relationship  with  the 
terminus  ultimus,  viz.,  the  Logos,  but,  also  points  out  the  motive 


86  THE  PRIMARY  AND  SECONDARY  OBJECTS 


which  actuates  our  adoration  of  Him  under  a  certain  aspect.  We 
shall  attempt  to  illustrate  this  principle  by  exemplification. 

In  the  devotion  to  the  Five  Wounds,  the  terminus  ultimus  is  the 
divine  Person  of  Christ.  The  second  last  terminus  is  His  suffer- 
ings. Thus,  the  second  last  terminus  brings  Christ  into  correlation 
with  His  Wounds,  and  reveals  the  reason  why  He  is  deserving  of 
our  adoration  under  the  aspect  of  the  Wounds.  Hence,  in  the 
devotion  to  the  Five  Wounds  the  primary  object  is  the  suffering 
Christ,  the  secondary  object  is  His  Five  Wounds. 

In  the  devotion  to  the  Holy  Name  of  Jesus  the  terminus  ultimus 
is  the  divine  Person  of  the  Word.  The  second  last  terminus,  which 
brings  Christ  into  correlation  with  His  Name,  and  establishes  the 
reason  why  He  is  worthy  of  adoration  under  such  an  aspect,  is  the 
power  and  mysteries  contained  in  that  Name.  Therefore,  the  pri- 
mary object  of  this  devotion  is  the  power  and  mysteries  contained 
in  that  Name,  and  the  secondary  object  is  the  Name  itself. 

One  more  example  will  suffice  to  elucidate  the  principle  fully. 
In  the  cult  to  the  Holy  Cross  the  terminus  ultimus  is  the  same  as 
in  all  the  other  devotions  of  Christ.  The  second  last  terminus, 
which  brings  Christ  into  correlation  with  the  Cross,  and  manifests 
the  reason  why  He  is  deserving  of  a  worship  under  such  an  aspect, 
is  His  death.  Consequently,  in  the  devotion  to  the  Holy  Cross,  the 
death  of  Christ  is  the  primary,  and  the  Cross  the  secondary  object. 
It  is  not  a  controverted  question  that  the  primary  and  the  secondary 
objects  of  the  above  three  devotions  are  as  stated.  Hence,  the  prin- 
ciple stated  above  may  be  applied  safely  to  all  the  other  devotions  of 
Christ.  In  other  words,  the  primary  object  is  not  the  one  by  which 
the  cult  is  named,  but  that  which  results  from  the  correlation  of  the 
visible  object  or  name  of  the  devotion  with  Christ.  This  object 
might  be  called  the  relatively  last,  or  the  second  last.  It  is  only 
relatively  last,  for  it  does  not  terminate  in  the  Logos  directly,  but 
only  mediately. 


OF  THE  DEVOTION  TO  THE  SACRED  HEART  87 


If  the  same  principle  is  applied  to  the  devotion  to  the  Sacred 
Heart  we  find  that  the  terminus  ultimus  is  the  Person  of  the  Logos. 
The  second  last  terminus  which  brings  Christ  into  correlation  with 
His  Heart,  and  manifests  the  reason  why  He  is  deserving  of  a 
special  worship  under  the  aspect  of  His  Heart,  is  His  love.  There- 
fore, the  primary  object  of  this  devotion  by  reason  of  excellence 
is  the  love  of  Christ,  and  the  Heart  would  thus  become  the  secon- 
dary object.  This  is  a  self-evident  truth.  All  admit  that  the  pri- 
mariness  or  secondariness  of  a  thing  depends  on  its  origin,  rank, 
excellence,  importance,  .  .  .  etc.  Such  being  the  case  no  one 
would  deny  that  the  love  of  Christ,  whether  human  or  divine,  pos- 
sesses a  higher  degree  of  eminence  than  His  Heart,  which  is  con- 
sidered only  as  its  symbol.  Therefore,  the  Heart  is  subordinate  to 
the  Love  by  reason  of  excellence. 

The  following  quotations  taken  from  authoritative  sources  will 
corroborate  the  contention,  that  the  love  must  be  considered  the 
principal  or  primary  object  of  the  devotion  to  the  Sacred  Heart  by 
reason  of  excellence. 

I.  Blessed  Margaret  Mary  in  one  of  her  letters  to  Mother  de 
Saumaise  gives  utterance  to,  what  might  be  considered,  a  prophecy. 
"God  will  reign,"  she  says,  "in  spite  of  His  enemies,  and  will  be- 
come the  Master  of  our  hearts,  for  such  is  the  principal  motive  of 
this  devotion,  viz.,  to  convert  souls  to  His  love."  l 

II.  Father  Croiset  interprets  the  substance  of  the  devotion  by 
saying:  "It  consists  in  nothing  else  but  a  practice  of  love,  its  object 
is  love,  its  principal  motive  is  love,  love  must  needs  be  its  end."  2 
Again,  "it  is  easy  to  see  that  the  principal  object  and  motive  of  this 
devotion  is  the  immense  love  which  Jesus  Christ  has  for  mankind, 
the  majority  of  whom  show  towards  Him  only  contempt  or  indiffer- 
ence, to  say  the  least."  3 


regnera  malgre  ses  ennemis,  et  il  se  rendra  le  Maitre  et  le  pos- 
sesseur  de  nos  coeurs,  car  c'est  la  la  principale  fin  de  cette  devotion,  savoir 
de  convertir  les  antes  a  son  amour."    (LANGUET,  op.  cit.,  p.  364.) 
2  CROISET,  op.  cit.,  vol.  I,  p.  5. 

*"//  est  aise  de  voir  que  I'objet  et  le  motive  principal  de  cette  devotion 
est  I'amour  immense  que  Jesus-Christ  a  pour  les  hommest  qui  n'ont  la  plupart 
que  du  mepris  ou  du  moins  de  Pindifference  pour  lui."  (  CROISET,  op.  cit.,  vol. 
I,  ch.  I,  p.  3.) 


88  THE  PRIMARY  AND  SECONDARY  OBJECTS 


III.  Father  Galliffet  expressed  himself  to  the  same  effect.     "As 
to  the  spiritual  and  principal  object,"  he  says,  "it  is  pointed  out  very 
clearly  in  the  following  words:  Behold  the  Heart  which  has  loved 
men  so  much.    This  immense  love  with  which  the  Sacred  Heart  is 
inflamed  forms  the  spiritual  and  principal  object  of  this  devotion."  1 

IV.  Frigidianus  Castagnorius,  acting  as  the  Postulator  Causae  in 
the  time  of  Pope  Innocent  XII,  makes  it  clear  that  "the  principal 
object  of  this  devotion  is  the  immense  love  of  the  Son  of  God."  2 

Many  modern  authors  could  be  quoted  in  confirmation  of  the 
same  statement.  However,  the  point  being  sufficiently  established, 
we  shall  refrain  from  multiplying  proofs.  The  failure  to  differen- 
tiate between  the  object  which  is  primary  by  reason  of  its  intrinsic 
essence  and  the  one  which  is  primary  only  in  the  order  of  time,  was 
the  principal  cause  of  the  misunderstanding  which  arose  among 
the  theologians  on  this  point.  Thus  the  whole  dispute  would  hardly 
amount  to  more  than  a  mere  logomachy,  for  the  disagreement  is 
rather  apparent  and  verbal  than  real. 

If  one  examines  the  frame  of  mind  of  a  worshipper  who,  hie 
et  nunc,  engages  in  paying  tribute  to  Christ  by  means  of  the  devo- 
tion to  the  Sacred  Heart,  he  finds  that,  as  a  general  rule,  the  love 
of  Christ  is  not  his  foremost  or  immediate  object.  It  is  the  tangible 
symbol,  viz.,  the  Heart,  which  claims  his  attention  first,  for  there 
is  no  other  vehicle  calculated  to  facilitate  to  the  same  extent  his 
visualization  of  the  imperceptible  object,  i.e.,  love.  Therefore,  it 
may  be  safely  said,  that  for  most  minds  the  Heart  of  Christ  in 
this  devotion  is  the  mirror  of  love.  A  glance  into  that  mirror  will 


1  Quant  a  1'objet  spirituel  et  principal,  il  est  marque  tres  nettement  dans  les 
paroles  de  Jesus-Christ,  qui  suivent;  'Voila  ce  coeur  qui  a  tant  dime  les 
homines  .  .  .'  Cest  cet  amour  immense  dont  ce  sacre  Coeur  est  embrase, 
qui  est  Tobjet  spirituel  de  cette  devotion."  (GALUFFET,  op  cit ,  ch  IV  Ob- 
ser.  II.) 

"Traecipuum  enim  huius  devotionis  obiectum  est  amor  immensus  Filii 
Dei."  (Anal.  Jur.  Pont.,  ser.  IV,  liv.  30.) 


OF  THE  DEVOTION  TO  THE  SACRED  HEART  89 


suffice  to  disclose  instantly  the  love  it  reflects.  This  psychological 
principle  will  explain  how,  under  ordinary  circumstances,  the  Heart 
may  be  the  primary  object  in  the  mind  of  the  worshipper  ratione 
temporis,  though,  ratione  finis  or  excellentiae,  it  is  subordinate  to 
the  love. 

Again,  it  is  generally  admitted  that  the  end  intended  principally 
by  the  devotion  to  the  Sacred  Heart  is  a  special  worship  of  the  love 
of  Christ.  This  love  is  to  be  contemplated  through  the  Heart,  which 
is  its  symbol.  But  in  the  order  of  execution,  that  object  is  the  pri- 
mary which  is  instituted  as  the  medium  whereby  another  object  is  to 
be  reached.  Thus,  this  latter  object,  though  primary  in  the  order 
of  intention,  becomes  secondary  in  the  order  of  execution.  It  has 
been  proved  above  that  the  love  of  Christ  is  the  primary  object 
of  this  devotion.  But  a  worship  of  this  love  is  rendered  less 
efficacious  if  it  be  dissociated,  or  considered  abstracted  from  the 
Heart.  Therefore,  ratione  temporis,  the  latter  is  the  primary 
object.1 

Again,  the  Heart  is  the  obiectum  manifestations,  for  it  is  through 
such  a  symbol  that  the  obiectum  colendum,  viz.,  the  theandric  love 
of  Christ,  manifests  itself.  The  Heart  receives  the  suffrages  of 
the  faithful  immediately  and  directly.  The  explanation  of  this  fact 
lies  in  human  nature.  The  Heart  falls  under  the  direct  perception 
of  the  senses.  To  rise  to  the  apperception  of  the  formal  object  or 
motive  of  the  devotion,  viz.,  love,  the  psychological  phenomenon 
of  rousing  the  senses,  and  of  connecting  the  two  objects  must  first 


1  "Atqtti  illud  quod  in  ordine  intentionis  est  medium  ordinatum  ad  alterum, 
hoc  est  in  ordine  executionis  primarium ;  in  hoc  enim  ordine  illud  est 
primarium  quod  efficacius  operatur  ad  finem;  illud  vero  quod  habet  rationem 
finis,  in  hoc  ordine  est  secundarium,;  licet  principaliter  intendendum,  quia 
scilicet,  minus  efficaciter  obtinebitur  si  per  se  et  sine  illo  adhibito  medio  fiat, 
quam  si  fiat  per  aliud  ordinatum  ad  ipsum,  cultus  amoris  Jesu  minus  efficaci- 
ter praestabitur  si  immediate  honores  cultus  ipsi  deferantur  praecisione  facta 
a  Corde,  quam  si  honoribus  afficiatur  Cor  ut  in  illo  et  per  illud  colatur  amor." 
(LEROY,  op.  cit.,  cap.  Ill,  qu.  XVI,  n.  190,  p.  197.) 


90  THE  PRIMARY  AND  SECONDARY  OBJECTS 


take  place.  Such  a  process  postulates  a  transition  of  thought  from 
the  perceptible  to  the  imperceptible  object.  For  this  reason  the 
Heart  is  very  appropriately  qualified  as  the  "medium  valde  pro- 
portionatum  infirmitati  et  imbecillitati  hominum."1 

We  are  now  in  a  position  to  appreciate  how  easily  a  misunder- 
standing could  arise  among  the  moralists  debating  on  the  primari- 
ness  and  secondariness  of  the  two  objects  of  which  the  devotion  to 
the  Sacred  Heart  is  composed.  The  cause  of  the  disagreement,  in 
most  instances,  can  be  traced  to  their  failure  to  discriminate  be- 
tween the  object  which  is  primary  in  the  order  of  intention,  hence, 
secondary  in  the  order  of  execution,  and  primary  in  the  order  of 
execution,  hence,  secondary  in  the  order  of  intention.  This  prin- 
ciple posited,  the  following  conclusion  may  be  drawn:  If  stress  is 
laid  on  the  intrinsic  excellence,  then,  without  doubt,  the  love  is  the 
primary  and  the  Heart  the  secondary  object.  But,  if,  on  the  other 
hand,  one  wishes  to  emphasize  the  object  ratione  temporis,  then, 
the  Heart  is  the  primary  and  the  love  the  secondary  object. 

Some  theologians  are  of  the  opinion  that  if  one  examines  the 
frame  of  mind  of  a  particular  worshipper  in  the  very  act  of  paying 
homage  to  the  Sacred  Heart,  in  all  probability  he  will  discover 
that  his  principal  motive  is  a  composite  one  containing  a  partial 
mixture  of  the  two  objects.  We  subscribe  to  this  opinion,  for  it  is 
more  in  keeping  with  the  spirit  of  the  devotion  as  well  as  with 
the  mind  of  the  Church.  The  proper  devotion  to  the  Sacred  Heart 
presupposes  a  blending  of  the  two  objects.  A  separate  worship  of 
either  the  material  or  the  formal  object  is  undoubtedly  permissible 
provided  they  are  not  considered  detached  from  the  divine  Person, 
but  in  neither  instance  would  it  be  a  devotion  to  the  Sacred  Heart  as 
interpreted  by  the  theologians,  and  encouraged  by  the  Church. 


L,EROY,  op.  cit.,  cap.  Ill,  qu.  XVI,  n.  190,  p. 


196. 


OF  THE  DEVOTION  TO  THE  SACRED  HEART  91 


It  will  not  be  out  of  place  at  this  point  to  summarize  the  con- 
clusions that  have  been  reached  thus  far,  concerning  the  material 
and  the  formal  object  of  the  devotion  to  the  Sacred  Heart.  It  has 
been  ascertained  that  both  these  objects  are  outlined  with  sufficient 
distinctness  in  the  decisions  handed  down  by  the  Sacred  Congrega- 
tion. Spiritual  writers,  both  past  and  present,  are  unanimous 
that  the  material  object  is  the  Heart  of  Christ.  This  Heart  of 
Christ  is  the  symbol  of  the  formal  object,  viz.,  love.  The  Heart  of 
Christ  may  be  conceived  in  three  different  states,  as  indicated  above. 
In  each  of  these  states  it  pertains  to  the  devotion,  and  forms  its 
material  object  viewed  as  the  symbol  of  that  love  which  best  corre- 
sponds to  the  particular  state.  From  all  this  it  is  manifest  that  the 
Heart  is  only  an  adjuvant  to  a  better  and  clearer  realization  of  the 
principal  object,  viz.,  love. 

The  formal  object  of  the  devotion  is  the  Heart  in  its  metaphorical, 
or,  rather,  symbolical  representation,  i.e.,  love.  The  Heart  thus 
becomes  the  obiectum  manifestativum  of  the  principal  or  primary 
object.  The  formal  object  may  be  considered  also  the  motive  of 
the  devotion,  for  it  is  Christ's  love  of  us  that  actuates  us  in  this 
devotion,  and  it  is  this  identical  love  which  receives  our  homages. 
The  material  object  enjoys  three  different  states.  It  is  possible  to 
point  out  a  reason  for  the  love  as  it  is  exemplified  in  each  state 
respectively.  Therefore,  the  formal  object  must  include  the  love 
which  individually  corresponds  to  each  of  these  states. 

The  two  objects,  though  extrinsically  distinct  and  separable,  in- 
trinsically are  inseparable  and  combined  ad  modum  unius.  Their 
excellence  depends  on  their  hypostatic  union  with  the  divine  Person 
of  Christ.  He  endowed  them  with  a  dignity  which  is  relatively 
infinite.  If  they  are  viewed  in  the  light  of  the  perfections 
to  which  He  elevated  them,  but  abstracted  from  the  divine  Person, 
the  highest  worship  they  could  merit  would  be  hyperdulia.  By 
reason  of  their  inseparableness  from  the  Logos,  they  become 


92         THE  PRIMARY  AND  SECONDARY  OBJECTS  OF  THE  DEVOTION 


transcendentalized  and  as  such  are  deserving  of  the  cult  of  latria. 
The  proper  worship,  therefore,  requires  that  the  formal  and  the 
material  object  be  kept  together  and  both  viewed  in  the  light  of  the 
hypostatic  union  with  the  divine  Person  of  Christ. 

Whatever  excellence  the  Heart  and  the  love  possess,  is  directly 
traceable  to  the  Saviour's  Person.  All  claims  of  Christ's  human 
nature  on  our  worship  are  based  on  the  personal  character  of  the 
union  whereby  the  Word  became  flesh.  Because  of  the  Divinity 
all  the  human  acts  of  Christ,  whether  mental  or  physical,  are  quali- 
fied as  theandric.  Hence  we  speak  of  His  theandric  patience,  the- 
andric  humility,  theandric  passion  and  death.  And  since  the  heart 
of  Jesus  is  par  excellence  the  symbol  of  His  love,  it  is  the  symbol 
of  a  love  at  once  human  and  divine. 

The  last  few  paragraphs  summarize  all  the  more  relevant  prin- 
ciples which,  beacon-like,  ought  to  guide  us  in  the  devotion  to  the 
Sacred  Heart.  The  importance  of  a  worship  which  concerns  itself 
with  a  homage  to  be  paid  to  the  physical  Heart  of  Christ  viewed 
united  to  the  Divinity,  and  thus  symbolizing  His  human  and  divine 
love,  can  hardly  be  exaggerated.  It  is  also  easy  to  see  how  this 
devotion  facilitates  our  comprehension  of  the  redemptive  love,  and 
thus  helps  us  to  visualize  the  divine  economy  of  the  Incarnation  and 
Redemption. 


CHAPTER  IX. 


EXPLANATION  OF  CREATED  AND  INCREATED  LOVE. 


Before  entering  upon  the  question  involved  in  any  adequate  ex- 
planation of  created  and  increated  love,  it  is  necessary  to  place 
certain  definite  limits  to  the  meaning  of  these  terms.  The  few 
theologians  who  ex  professo  speculatively  considered  this  twofold 
love  of  Christ  failed  to  arrive  at  the  same  conclusion.  By  the 
increated  love  they  mean  that  love  which  Jesus  Christ  as  the  second 
Person  of  the  Trinity  possessed  from  all  eternity.  This  love,  like 
God  Himself,  always  existed,  it  has  no  beginning  nor  end.  The 
divine  Person  of  Christ,  foreknowing  the  future,  and  having  a  clear 
vision  of  it,  foresaw  the  creation  of  man,  and  all  the  exigencies 
which  such  a  divine  act  was  to  entail.  His  love  co-operated  with 
God  the  Father  in  giving  us  existence.  Therefore,  the  above  love 
may  be  considered  in  relation  to  man  even  before  man  existed,  or 
the  Incarnation  took  place.  This  is  the  idea  of  the  increated  love. 

In  contradistinction  to  the  above,  the  created  love  of  Christ  is 
that  love  which  He  manifested  through  the  instrumentality  of  His 
human  nature.  It  represents  the  plenitude  of  that  love  which  actu- 
ated Him  in  all  the  mental  and  physical  acts  He  performed  as 
God-man,  and  which  eventually  culminated  in  the  Redemption  of 
mankind.  It  must  be  borne  in  mind  that  the  created  love  is  not  to 

be  viewed  abstracted  from  the  divine  Personality,  but  conjointly 

93 


94  EXPLANATION  OF  CREATED  AND  INCREATED  LOVE 


with  It,  as  the  love  corresponding  to  that  human  nature  which 
the  Logos  used  as  a  created  medium.  Otherwise  it  would  not  be 
deserving  of  the  cult  of  latria.  In  other  words,  the  increated  love 
is  the  love  which  Christ,  as  the  second  Person  of  the  Blessed 
Trinity,  had  for  man  from  all  eternity,  and  which  He  shall  continue 
to  have  to  eternity  as  actus  purus  divinus.  The  created  love  of 
Christ  has  its  beginning  with  the  Incarnation,  but  it  will  continue 
to  the  end  of  time,  it  is  an  actus  mixtus  divino-humanus. 

It  is  evident  that  the  distinction  made  between  the  created  and 
the  increated  love  can  be  predicated  only  of  a  being  who  had  a 
twofold  nature.  On  the  strength  of  overwhelming  evidence,  taken 
from  the  Sacred  Scripture  and  tradition,  it  may  be  rightly  con- 
cluded that  Christ,  the  Founder  of  Christianity,  is  such  a  being. 
We  shall  try  to  reproduce  some  of  these  proofs. 

Christ  says  of  Himself :  "I  and  the  Father  are  one," x  and, 
again:  "That  which  my  Father  hath  given  me  (divine  nature)  is 
greater  than  all."  2  He  says,  furthermore,  "I  came  from  the  Father, 
and  am  come  into  the  world."3  The  first  two  texts  imply  a  coequality 
with  God  the  Father,  in  nature  and  virtue,  for  the  same  virtue,  says 
St.  Chrysostom,  postulates  the  sameness  of  nature.4  The  third  text, 
referring  to  His  procession  from  the  Father,  interprets  the  second. 
Again,  referring  to  His  sheep,  Christ  says:  "And  I  give  them  life 
everlasting."  5  It  is  evident,  however,  that  no  one  can  give  such  a 
gift  unless  he  previously  possessed  it.  If  we  supplement  the  above 
quotations  we  find  that  the  Sacred  Scripture  speaks  of  Christ  as 


*John  X.  30. 
'  John  X.  29. 

3  John  XVI.  28. 

4  Si  autem  eadem  est  virtus,  manifestum  quod  eadem  et  natura."    (CHRY- 
SOSTOMUS,  Horn.  61,  n.  2;  ib.  HURTER,  Theol.  Dog.  Com.,  Oeniponte,  1903, 
vol.  II,  p.  165.) 

9  John  X.  28. 


EXPLANATION  OF  CREATED  AND  INCREATED  I,OVE  95 


the  Son  of  God  j1  adored  by  the  angels  of  God  ;2  by  whom  the  world 
was  made;3  who  being  rich  became  poor  that  through  His  poverty 
we  might  be  rich  ;4  who  is  the  brightness  of  Father's  glory  and  the 
figure  of  His  substance;5  all  these  things  imply  equality  with  the 
Father,  therefore,  He  must  be  co-eternal  also. 

St.  Paul  in  his  well-known  text  strikes  the  chord  of  the  funda- 
mental teaching  of  Christianity,  when  he  exhorts  the  Philippians  to 
practise  the  virtue  of  humility  and  thus  imitate  the  example  of 
Christ:  "Who  being  in  the  form  of  God,  thought  it  not  robbery  to 
be  equal  with  God:  but  emptied  Himself,  taking  the  form  of  a 
servant,  being  made  in  the  likeness  of  men,  and  in  the  habit  found 
as  man."  6  The  first  of  the  two  verses  establishes  the  consubstan- 
tiality  of  Christ  with  God,  and  the  second  asserts  His  human 
nature.  The  words  taking  the  form  of  a  servant  imply  a  pre- 
existence,  the  nature  of  which  is  explained  by  the  words  that  pre- 
cede, viz.,  being  in  the  form  of  God. 

Thus  the  eighth  verse  implies  on  the  part  of  Christ  the  assump- 
tion of  something  He  did  not  possess  before.  The  Kenosis  does 
not  constitute  a  change  as  to  His  participation  in  the  nature  of  God. 
The  exinanition  does  not  mean  a  defection  from,  or  a  diminution  in 
the  prerogatives  of  the  Divinity.  Nor  does  the  self-emptying  convey 
the  idea  of  an  effacement  of  the  essence  of  His  pre-existent  nature. 
St.  Hilary  in  his  work  on  the  Blessed  Trinity  explains  the  mystery 
of  the  Incarnation  by  pointing  out  that  Christ  retaining  the  For  mam 


1  Matt.  III.  17. 

1  Heb.  I.  6. 

3  Heb.  I.  2. 

4 II.  Cor.  VIII.  9. 

•Heb.  I.  3. 

9  Phil.  II.  7-8. 


96  EXPLANATION  OF  CREATED  AND  INCREATED  LOVE 

Dei,  took  upon  Himself  the  Formam  servi.1  The  annihilation  sim- 
ply means  that  He  remained  what  He  was,  but  concealed  His  in- 
finite power  and  majesty  under  the  garb  of  a  humble  appearance.2 

St.  Ambrose  expresses  the  above  truth  in  words  that  are  most  un- 
equivocal: "Far  from  discontinuing  to  remain  what  He  was,  but 
assuming  something  that  He  was  not,  because  He  took  upon  Himself 
the  form  of  a  servant."  3 

Perhaps  the  most  perspicuous  text  we  could  glean  from  the 
Patristic  literature  to  prove  the  pre-existence  of  the  divine  Person 
in  Christ  is  that  of  Victorinus  in  his  controversy  against  the  Arians. 
"Those  who  say  that  Jesus  proceeds  only  from  man,  know  that  they 
utter  a  blasphemy  against  Christ,  who  was  in  the  form  of  God. 
When  did  He  so  exist?  Before  He  came  in  the  body.  He  said 
that  He  emptied  Himself,  taking  the  form  of  a  servant.  There- 
fore, He  existed  before  He  became  man.  And  in  what  form? 
Logos  Dei,  forma  Dei.  He  claimed  an  equality  with  God.  This 
implies  power,  substance.  He  did  not  say  similar,  for  it  fails  to 
convey  the  idea  of  substance."  4  Since  He  retained  His  Divinity, 
and  became  incarnate,  therefore,  according  to  His  human  nature 

1  "In  forma  enim  Dei  manens  formam  servi  assumpsit  non  demutatus  sed 
seipsum  exinaniens  et  intra  se  latens,  et  intra  suam  ipse  vacuefactus  potcsta- 
tem.  (HiLARius,  De  Trin.  MIGNE,  P.  L,.,  vol.  X,  col.  432.) 

2"Erat  quod  nos  sumus  neque  amiserat  esse  quod  manserat."  (HILARY, 
op.  cit.,  MiGNE,  P.  L.,  vol.  X,  col.  409.) 

8  ST.  AMBROSE,  de  fide,  MIGNE,  P.  I,.,  vol.  XVI,  col.  573.) 

*"Qui  hominem  dicunt  Jesum  et  solum  ab  homine  factum,  cognoscant 
impiam  blasphemiam  in  Christo,  qui  in  forma  Dei  existens !  Quando  existens  ? 
Antequam  veniret  in  corpus!  Dixit  enim,  quod  exinanivit  seipsum  et  accepit 
formam  servi:  erat  igitur  et  antequam  homo  fieret;  Et  qualis  erat?  Logos 
Dei,  forma  Dei.  Quid  est  istud  aequalis  existens  Deo?  Quod  est  eius  ipsius 
et  potentiae,  substantiae;  dixit  enim  aequalem  esse.  Non  dixit  similis  Deo, 
quod  non  significat  substantiam.  (VICTORINUS,  MIGNE,  P.  L.,  vol.  VIII,  col. 
1055.) 


EXPLANATION  OF  CREATED  AND  INCREATED  I/)VE  97 


He  is  less  than  Himself,  according  to  His  divine  nature  He  is  more 
than  Himself.1 

After  having  cited  numerous  authorities  in  defence  of  the  Catho- 
lic traditional  teaching  as  to  the  pre-existence  of  Christ,  Dr.  Schu- 
macher concludes :  "According  to  the  Catholic  concept  of  the  mys- 
tery of  the  Kenosis,  the  true  Divinity  of  the  Logos  was  not  visible 
in  its  glory,  though  it  remained  undiminished  in  the  Incarnation. 
Therefore,  in  consequence  of  becoming  man,  Jesus  was  truly  self- 
conscious  of  His  Divinity  as  well  as  of  His  humanity,  though  He 
appeared  only  as  a  poor  humble  man."  2 

With  the  foregoing  it  is  sufficiently  established  that  the  divine 
Person  in  Christ  had  a  pre-existence.  This  Person  by  becoming 
incarnate  did  not  lose  any  of  His  divine  prerogatives.  If  He  re- 
tained all  the  essential  characteristics  of  the  Deity,  then  His  love 
which  belongs  to  the  very  essence  of  God  remained  unimpaired. 
Hence  it  is  proper  to  speak  of  the  pre-existent  love  in  Christ  in 
contradistinction  to  the  love  which  His  human  nature  elicited  after 
His  Incarnation.  It  is  this  pre-incarnate  love  which  the  theologians 
designate  by  the  adjective  increated. 

It  is  not  necessary  to  enter  into  an  extensive  process  of  reasoning 
to  prove  that  Christ  possessed  also  a  created  love.  His  human 
nature  once  admitted  as  an  incontrovertible  fact,  its  inevitable  postu- 


1  "Neque  enim  sic  accepit  f  ormam  servi,  ut  amitteret  f  ormam  Dei :  ergo 
.  .  .  quod  in  forma  Dei  etiam  ipse  seipso  maior  est,  in  forma  autem  servi, 
etiam  a  seipso  minor  est."  (RABANUS,  MIGNE,  P.  L,  vol.  CXII,  col.  487-488.) 

1  "Schalen  wir  aus  diesen  mannigfachen  Formulationsumhiillungen  den 
stabilen  Kern  heraus,  dann  lautet  das  Ergebnis :  dass  die  wahre,  durch  die 
Inkarnation  unversehrt  gebliebene  Gottheit  des  Logos  infolge  der  Men- 
schwerdung  in  dem  sich  als  wahren  Gott  und  wahren  Menschen  wissenden 
und  doch  nur  als  armer  niedriger  Mensch  erscheinenden  Jesus  nicht  in  ihrer 
Herrlichkeit  erschaubar  war,  bildet  nach  katholischer  Auffassung  das  Geheim- 
nis  der  Kenose."  (SCHUMACHER,  Christus  in  Seiner  Prdexistenz  und  Kenose, 
Rome,  1914,  p.  189.) 


$8  EXPLANATION  OF  CREATED  AND  INCREATED  LOVE 

late  is  a  love  which  finds  expression  through  the  faculties  with  which 
such  a  nature  is  endowed.  He  testifies  to  such  a  love;1  foretells 
that  eventually  it  will  actuate  Him  to  give  His  life  for  His  sheep  ;2 
it  was  so  interpreted  by  His  Apostles ;  *  and  its  ardor  induced  Him 
to  remain  with  us  in  the  Sacrament  of  love.4 

On  account  of  this  concept  of  the  two  different  loves  in  Christ 
a  controversy  arose  among  the  theologians  as  to  the  nature  of  the 
love  which  we  worship  under  the  symbol  of  the  Heart.  Is  it  the 
increated  or  the  created  love?  Are  the  two  to  be  conceived  as  one 
sole  object?  Is  the  Heart  of  Christ  to  be  considered  as  a  symbol 
of  that  love  only  which  began  to  exist  simultaneously  with  it,  or  is 
its  symbolization  to  be  extended  also  to  the  love  whose  existence 
was  prior  to  that  of  the  Heart?  Which  of  these  two  loves  is  the 
primary  and  which  the  secondary,  when  viewed  as  an  object  of  the 
devotion  in  question?  These  are  some  of  the  difficulties  to  be 
answered  in  the  following  pages. 

It  is  generally  admitted  that  the  early  exponents  of  the  devotion 
to  the  Sacred  Heart  did  not  distinguish  clearly  between  the  cre- 
ated and  the  increated  love.  Some  of  their  statements  refer  to  an  in- 
finite love  which  does  not  necessarily  imply  the  idea  of  the  increated 
love,  for  the  divine  Logos,  subsisting  in  the  human  nature,  endows 
with  infinite  merit  all  the  acts  attributable  to  His  moral  life  as  man. 

I.  There  is  no  statement  in  the  writings  of  Blessed  Margaret 
Mary  which  would  help  to  solve  the  question.  She  does  not  dis- 
criminate between  the  two  loves.  Indeed,  no  man  reading  her 
autobiography  could  point  out  a  place  or  a  reference  which  could 
be  interpreted  as  a  definite  indication  of  the  increated  love.  To  all 

Vo/m  XIII.  34. 
'John  X.  11. 
•  Gal  II.  20. 
4  John  XIII.  1. 


EXPLANATION  OF  CREATED  AND  INCREATED  I/)VE  99 


appearances  such  a  problem  never  occurred  to  her.  Even  Christ 
Himself,  if  viewed  in  the  light  of  the  words  spoken  during  His 
repeated  revelations  as  recorded  by  her,  fails  to  intimate  whether 
such  two  loves  are  to  be  considered  as  a  motive  of  the  devotion. 
If  one  were  called  upon  to  pass  a  judgment,  having  at  his  disposal 
the  works  of  Blessed  Margaret  Mary  as  the  only  evidence,  he  would 
unhesitatingly  pronounce  in  favor  of  the  exclusion  of  the  increated 
love.  It  would  not  be  difficult  to  cull  some  passages,  however,  which 
might  be  construed  as  involving  the  idea  of  the  increated  love.  It 
would  be  a  mistake  to  make  the  assertion,  that  she  excluded  such  a 
love  from  the  devotion,  on  account  of  having  failed  to  give  a  clear 
expression  to  it.  She  was  not  endowed  with  the  keen  intellect  of 
a  speculative  theologian,  whose  tendency  is  to  elucidate  even  the 
most  minute  details  in  -connection  with  a  certain  doctrine.  In  her 
mind  it  was  a  devotion  in  which,  through  the  symbol  of  the  Heart, 
the  love  of  Christ  was  to  receive  a  special  worship.  This  was  all 
Christ  demanded.  It  remained  for  the  Church  to  determine  spe- 
cifically the  full  extent  and  nature  of  that  love,  on  the  fundamental 
principles  of  Christology.  Perhaps  the  most  comprehensive  expres- 
sion she  gave  to  the  idea  of  this  love  is  found  in  one  of  her  letters 
quoted  by  Bishop  Languet.  "This  amiable  Heart,"  she  says,  "has 
an  infinite  desire  to  be  known  and  loved  by  its  creatures,  in  whom 
it  wishes  to  establish  its  empire  as  being  the  source  of  all  good."  1 
The  notions  that  we  are  His  Heart's  creatures,  and  that  it  is  the 
source  of  all  good  may  be  interpreted  as  referring  to  the  increated 
love,  but  even  then  the  evidence  is  far  from  conclusive,  and  pas- 
sages of  this  nature  are  extremely  few  in  her  writings. 
II.  Be  that  as  it  may,  the  work  of  Father  Croiset,  who  was  the  imme- 


1  "Get  aimable  Coeur  a  un  desir  infini  d'etre  connu  et  aime  de  ses  creatures, 
dans  lesquelles  il  v«ut  etablir  son  empire,  comme  etant  la  source  de  tout 
bien."  (LANGUET,  op.  cit.,  liv.  VII,  p.  241.) 


100  EXPLANATION  OF  CREATED  AND  INCREATED  u>vE 

diate  exponent  of  this  devotion  after  the  demise  of  Blessed  Mar- 
garet Mary,  fails  to  shed  more  light  on  the  subject  under  discus- 
sion. The  first  chapter  of  his  work  contains  the  most  conclusive 
words  which  might  induce  one  to  believe  that  he  considered  the 
increated  love  as  a  partial  formal  object  of  the  devotion.  "By  the 
devotion  of  the  Sacred  Heart,"  he  says,  "we  understand  the  ardent 
love  which  we  conceive  for  Jesus  Christ  in  remembrance  of  all  the 
miracles  He  wrought  for  us  to  testify  His  tenderness,  and,  above 
all,  in  the  Sacrament  of  the  Eucharist  which  is  the  miracle  of  His 
love." !  If  we  are  to  worship  His  love  in  commemoration  of  all  the 
miracles  He  performed  for  us,  then  the  increated  love  seems  to  be 
included,  for  the  first  miracle  was  His  Incarnation  and  the  created 
love  that  accompanied  it  and  followed  from  it.  All  the  consequent 
miracles  are  to  be  attributed  to  the  above,  for  it  was  their  incipient 
cause. 

This  is  the  only  passage  which  would  permit  one  to  consider  the 
love  of  Christ  under  such  a  comprehensive  aspect,  all  the  rest  con- 
fine themselves  to  the  immense  love  which  induced  the  Son  of  God 
to  embrace  death  for  us,  and  to  give  Himself  to  us  in  the  Most 
Blessed  Sacrament  of  the  Bucharest,  without  being  deterred  from 
such  a  miracle  at  the  sight  of  the  ingratitude  and  outrages  which 
in  this  state  as  an  immolated  victim  He  was  to  receive  to  the  end 
of  time? 

III.  Only  a  very  indefinite  idea  of  the  increated  love  can  be 
traced  in  the  writings  of  Father  Fromment,  a  contemporary  of 


"Tar  la  devotion  au  Sacre  Coeur  on  entend  un  ardent  amour  quc  Ton 
congoit  pour  Jesus-Christ  au  souvenir  de  toutes  les  merveilles  qu'il  a  faites 
pour  nous  temoigner  sa  tendresse,  et  surtout  dans  le  Sacrement  de  T 
Eucharistie,  qu'est  le  miracle  de  son  amour."  (CROISET,  op.  cit.,  vol.  I,  p.  6.) 

*  "L/objet  particulier  de  cette  devotion,  est  1'amour  immense  de  Fils  de 
Dieu,  qui  1'a  porte  a  se  livrer  pour  nous  a  la  mort,  et  a  se  donner  tout  a 
nous  dans  le  tres  saint-Sacrement  de  1'Autel,  sans  que  la  vue  de  toutes  les 
ingratitudes  et  de  tous  les  outrages  qu'il  devoit  recevoir  en  cet  etat  de 
victime  immolee  jusqu'a  la  fin  des  siecles,  ait  pu  I'empecher  de  faire  ce 
prodige."  (CROISET,  op.  cit.,  vol.  I,  p.  1.) 


EXPLANATION  OF  CREATED  AND  INCREASED  IyCV2, 


Father  Croiset,  though  he  does  not  leave  us  in  doubt  as  to  the 
created  love. 

IV.  Father  Galliffet  in  one  of  his  chapters  speaks  of  the  love  of 
Jesus  for  men.    "What  is  man  by  nature,"  he  asks,  "in  the  sight  of 
God?     Dust  and  ashes.     But  what  did  he  become  through  sin? 
The  enemy  of  God,  the  slave  of  the  demon,  condemned  to  eternal 
death.    In  this  condition  deserving  only  the  contempt  and  hatred  of 
the  Saint  of  Saints,  Jesus  loved  him  and  formed  the  design  of 
rescuing  him  from  the  evils  which  beset  him,  and  of  bestowing  on 
him  infinite  benefits.    And  in  what  way  did  He  manifest  the  great- 
ness of  His  love?     He  offered  Himself  to  His  Father  for  these 
criminals,  to  bear  in  their  stead  the  torments  they  had  merited."  1 
The  love  of  Jesus  which  formed  the  design  of  rescuing  man  is  dif- 
ferentiated here  from  the  one  which  induced  Him  to  offer  Himself 
to  His  Heavenly  Father.    The  distinction  between  the  two  is  quite 
apparent.    The  former  is  the  increated  love,  the  latter  is  the  created 
love.     This  is  the  only  passage  in  the  whole  work  of  Father  Gal- 
liffet where  the  two  loves  are  pointed  out  with  such  precision. 

V.  Bishop  Languet  did  not  fail  to  express  himself  on  this  sub- 
ject.    "If  it  were  imperative,"  he  says,  "to  point  out  in  detail  the 
object  of  this  devotion,  I  would  say  that  by  the  Heart  of  Jesus 
Christ,    the    God-man,    we    understand    principally    the    desires, 
the  affections  and  the  sentiments  with  which  this  divine  Heart  was 
filled  while  on  earth  and  which  still  stimulate  it  in  Heaven,  whether 
towards  God  for  whose  glory  He  became  man,  or  towards  men 
whose  salvation  He  wished  to  procure  by   His   Incarnation  and 
death."  2    The  sentiments  and  affections  which  actuated  the  Son  of 

1  GAUJFFET,  op.  cit.,  part  II,  ch.  II,  pp.  87  and  88. 

'"Sous  le  nom  de  Coeur  sacre  de  Jesus-Christ  fait  homme  pour  nous,  on 
entend  principalement  des  desires,  les  affections,  les  sentiments  qui  occupoient 
de  Coeur  divin  sur  la  terre,  et  qui  1'occupent  encore  dans  le  ciel  soit  a 
1'egard  de  Dieu,  pour  la  gloire  duquel  il  s'est  fait  homme,  soit  a  1'egard  des 
hommes  memes,  dont  il  a  voulu  procurer  le  salut  par  son  incarnation  et  par 
sa  mort."  (LANGUET,  op.  cit.,  Disc  ours,  p.  XUV.) 


102  EXPLANATION  OF  CREATED  AND  INCREATED  LOVE 


God  to  become  man  for  the  glory  of  God  and  for  our  salvation 
imply  a  pre-existent  agent,  in  other  words,  they  refer  to  the  incre- 
ated  love. 

VI.  Bucceroni  in  his  Commentary  makes  a  clear  distinction  be- 
tween the  two  loves.     "The  love  of  Christ,"  he  says,  "inasmuch  as 
it  is  increated,  is  something  indistinct  from  the  Divinity,  hence,  it 
carries  with  it  an  inherent  reason  for  adoration.     Inasmuch  as  it 
is  created,  it  resides  in  the  soul  of  Christ,  which  is  hypostatically 
united  to  the  Logos,  and  for  this  reason  has  a  claim  to  adoration."  * 
He  does  not  mean  to  give  an  equal  importance  to  the  two  loves 
when  they  are  considered  in  the  light  of  an  object  of  the  devotion 
to  the  Sacred  Heart,  but  he  makes  it  plain  that  a  comprehensive 
notion  of  the  formal  object  presupposes  the  inclusion  of  the  incre- 
ated love. 

VII.  Muzzarelli  refers  frequently  to  these  two  loves,  but  fails  to 
give  a  clear  idea  of  the  increated  love.    However,  it  may  be  legiti- 
mately presumed  that  he  advocated  the  opinion  which  means  to 
include  the  latter  love  as  a  partial  object  in  the  devotion.     "It  is 
most  certain,"  he  says,  "that  the  will  and  the  love  of  the  divine 
nature  of  Jesus  Christ  is  altogether  different  from  His  human  love 
and  nature,  and  that  the  love  of  the  divine  nature  is  increated, 
immanent,  infinite,  while  that  of  the  human  nature  is  a  created  love, 
ineffable,  indeed,  but  of  a  finite  entity."  2 


"'Unde  Cor  illud  cultum  et  adorationem  exigit,  non  solum  quia  Cor  Christi, 
verum  etiam  quia  symbolum  charitatis  Christi.  Et  sane,  charitas  ista  Christi, 
quatenus  increata  charitas  est,  in  ipsa  anima  Christi  residet,  res  est  Divinitate 
ipsa  realiter  indistincta,  adeoque  rationem  in  se  exhibet  cultus  et  adorationis ; 
quatenus  vero  charitas  creata  est,  in  ipsa  anima  Christi  residet,  Verbo  hyposta- 
tice  unita;  et,  quod  consequens  est,  rationem  etiam  suppeditat  cultus  et 
adorationis."  ( BUCCERONI,  Commentarii  de  SS.  Corde  Jesu,  Romae,  1896, 
p.  15.) 

*"Cela  pose,  il  est  encore  tres-certain,  que  la  volonte  et  1'amour  de  la 
nature  divine  en  Jesus-Christ,  est  tout-a-fait  distingue  de  la  volonte  et  de 
Pamour  de  sa  nature  humaine;  et  que  I' amour  de  la  nature  divine  est  UH 
amour  incree,  immanent,  infini,  et  l'amour  de  sa  nature  humaine  est  un 
amour  cree,  ineffable  a  la  verite,  mais  d'un  entite  finie."  (MUZZAREU,!,  op. 
cit.,  p.  8.) 


EXPLANATION  OF  CREATED  AND  INCREATED  LOVE       103 


VIII.  Franzelin  fails  to  make  a  mention  of  the  increated  love. 
On  the  contrary,  he  maintains  that  the  Heart  of  Christ  manifests 
theandric  affections  and  is  the  symbol  of  the  love  and  of  the  inte- 
rior life  of  the  Redeemer,  God-man.1    Father  Vermeersch  intimates 
that  Franzelin  wishes  to  confine  the  formal  object  to  the  created 
iove. 

IX.  Father  Ramiere,  who  devoted  his  whole  life  to  the  interpre- 
tation and  propagation  of  this  devotion,  is  very  explicit  when  treat- 
ing of  this  double  love.    "The  increated  love,  the  eternal  love  is  not 
alien  to  the  devotion  to  the   Sacred  Heart.     In  fact  the  soul  of 
Jesus  from  its  creation  was  sanctified  by  this  love,  and  His  human 
love  was,  so  to  say,  entirely  compenetrated  by  the  same.     If  in  the 
devotion  to  the  Sacred  Heart  the  human  love  is  the  direct  object 
of  our  homages,  the  increated  love  is  the  motive  which  ennobles 
and  stimulates  them."2 

X.  The  statement  of  Father  Vignat  is  very  a  propos.    The  love 
of  the  human  nature  of  Christ  is  only  an  instrument  on  which  the 
love  of  His  divine  nature  is  acting.    Therefore,  we  cannot  compre- 
hend the  one  thoroughly  without  seeing  the  other  manifesting  itself 
simultaneously.3 

XI.  Bainvel  contends  that  the  created  love  of  Christ  is  set  in 
motion  by  His  increated  love.     Therefore,  the  latter  is  united  to 
the  former  by  the  intimate  link  of  causality.     He  admits  that  the 
increated  love  does  not  find  its  direct  echo  in  the  fleshy  Heart,  but 


1  FRANZELIN,  De  Verbo  Incarnato,  Rome,  1874,  p.  458. 

'"L'amour  incree,  1'amour  eternel  n'est  assurement  pas  etranger  a  la 
devotion  du  Sacre  Coeur.  En  effet  1'ame  de  Jesus  a  ete  des  sa 
creation  sanctifiee  par  cet  amour,  et  son  amour  humain  en  a  ete  pour  ainsi  dire 
entierement  compenetre.  Et  si,  dans  la  devotion  au  Sacre  Coeur,  1'amour 
humain  est  I'obj'et  direct  de  nos  hommages,  le  second  amour,  1'amour  incree, 
est  le  motif  qui  les  ennoblit  ct  les  rehausse."  (RAMIERE,  Messenger  du  Coeur 
de  Jesus,  an.  1868,  vol.  XIV,  p.  277.) 

*  "Dans  la  devotion  au  Sacre  Coeur,  on  ne  peut  separer  les  deux  amours. 
La  raison  profonde  en  est  que  1'amour  de  la  nature  humaine  du  Christ  n'est 
que  1'instrument  de  Pamour  de  sa  nature  divine.  Je  ne  puis  bien  connaitre 
1'un,  sans  voir  en  meme  temps  qu'il  exprime  et  manifeste  1'autre.  (ViGNAT, 
in  the  Etudes  Rel,  an.  1906,  vol.  CVII,  p.  646.) 


104  EXPLANATION  OF  CREATED  AND  INCREATED  LOVE 

its  sounds  reverberate  in  that  Heart  by  having  produced  this  created 
echo,  viz.,  the  love  of  the  carnal  Heart.1 

XII.  Father  Roothan  may  be  considered  an  advocate  of  the  opin- 
ion which  excludes  the  increated  love  from  the  devotion  to  the 
Sacred  Heart.     By  the  love  of  the  Sacred  Heart  he  means  only 
that  love  which  induced  Jesus  Christ  to  become  our  victim  during 
His  whole  life,  after  His  conception,  but,  above  all,  in  His  passion 
and  death  and  in  the  Blessed  Eucharist.2 

XIII.  Alvery  is  the  staunchest  advocate  in  favor  of  the  non-sepa- 
ration of  the  two  loves  in  the  devotion  to  the  Sacred  Heart.     He 
points  out  clearly  that  the  created  love  is  not  adored   as  taken 
by  itself,  but  as  united  with  the  increated  love.    He  does  not  censure 
those  who  relegate  the  increated  love  to  the  background  by  reserv- 
ing the  foreground  for  the  created  love.    But  he  insists  that,  while 
in  our  worship  the  latter  may  take  the  first  place,  such  a  fact  would 
not   militate   against   the   possibility    of   rendering   honors   to   the 
former.    Through  the  created  love  one  must  endeavor  to  reach  the 
increated  love.     While  we  may  tarry  awhile  at  the  first,  we  must 
not  stop  there,  but  it  is  our  duty  to  contemplate  the  love  which  is 
absolutely  infinite.3 

XIV.  Father  Vermeersch,  who  was  instrumental  in  creating  a 
wide  interest  and  discussion  on  the  subject  under  consideration, 
gives  expression  to  the  view  that  in  the  strict  sense  the  complete 
object  of  the  devotion  is  the  Word  of  God  loving  us  in  His  human 
nature.     In  a  more  comprehensive  sense  it  is  the  Word  of  God 
loving  us  with  that  increated  love  which  induced  Him  to  descend 
from  Heaven  on  earth,  and  with  that  created  love  which  manifested 
itself  especially  on  Calvary  and  in  the  Blessed  Eucharist.    The  spe- 


1  BAINVEL,  op.  cit.,  col.  292. 

1  ROOTHAN,  De  cultu  SS.  Cordis  Jesu,  p.  13 ;  ib.   VERMEERSCH,  op.  cit.,  vol. 
II,  p.  41 
* Revue  Augustinienne,  torn.  X,  an.  1907,  p.  565. 


EXPLANATION  OF  CREATED  AND  INCREATED  LOVE  105 


cial  object,  in  the  strict  sense,  is  the  Heart  of  Christ  symbolizing 
His  created  charity,  and  in  a  wider  sense  the  same  Heart  as  sym- 
bolizing the  created  and  the  increated  love.1 

We  shall  refrain  from  multiplying  quotations  to  show  the  differ- 
ences of  opinion  among  the  present-day  theologians.  It  could  be 
stated,  however,  that  the  variances  in  some  instances  are  very 
irrelevant.  Some  wish  to  exclude  the  increated  love,  others  again 
maintain  that  it  must  be  included  as  a  partial  formal  object.  Those 
who  would  leave  out  the  increated  love  support  their  arguments 
with  the  statement  that  the  early  exponents  of  this  devotion  gave 
very  little,  or  no  consideration  at  all,  to  the  notion  of  the  pre- 
incarnate  love.  This  contention  is  admissible,  but  it  does  not  justify 
their  conclusion.  It  is  not  legitimate  to  infer  that  the  early  spiritual 
writers  meant  to  exclude  the  increated  love,  because  they  accentu- 
ated the  idea  of  the  created  love  to  the  detriment  of  the  former. 
Their  attitude  in  this  matter  may  be  explained  by  the  fact  that  the 
Church,  for  a  long  time,  gave  no  expression  to  her  belief  in  this 
respect,  and  they  did  not  feel  justified  in  taking  the  initiative. 

It  is  rather  surprising  that  even  at  this  late  date  a  lack  of  uni- 
formity prevails  on  this  point  among  the  theologians.  This  is 
traceable  to  the  fact  that  the  decrees  of  the  Sacred  Congregation 
are  not  sufficiently  explicit.  It  may  be  said  that,  while  certain 
pronouncements  warrant  the  inclusion  of  the  increated  love  in  the 
devotion  to  the  Sacred  Heart,  these  are  mostly  indirect  utterances. 
Thus,  the  field  is  open  for  speculative  consideration,  not,  however, 
to  such  an  extent  as  to  exclude  the  increated  love  entirely.  We 


1  "Dans  un  sens  strict,  1'objet  complet  de  la  devotion  au  sacre  Coeur, 
c'est  le  Dieu-Verbe  nous  aimant  dans  sa  nature  humaine.  Dans  un  sens 
plus  large,  c'est  le  Dieu-Verbe  nous  aimant  d'une  charite  increee  qui  Le 
fait  descendre  sur  la  terre,  et  d'une  charite  creee,  qui  s'est  manifestee  surtout 
au  Calvaire  et  dans  1'Eucharistie.  Et  1'objet  special,  c'est  au  sens  strict,  le 
Coeur  du  Christ  avec  la  charite  creee  et  increee  qu'il  symbolise,  et,  au  sens 
large,  ce  meme  Coeur  avec  la  charite  creee  et  increee  symbolisee  par  Lui." 
,  Op.  cit.,  torn.  II,  ch.  I,  art.  V,  p.  98.) 


106  EXPLANATION  OF  CREATED  AND  INCREATED  LOVE 


shall  explain  this  last  statement  by  citing  some  of  those  decrees 
which  directly  concern  the  formal  object,  and  are  calculated  to  shed 
light  on  this  point. 

The  Memorial  of  the  Polish  Bishops  was  instrumental  in  bringing 
about  the  approbation  contained  in  the  decree  dated  Jan.  26,  1765 
That  this  Memorial  makes  no  explicit  mention  of  the  increated  love 
of  Christ  is  a  well-known  fact.  But,  Father  Vermeersch  contends, 
that  the  devotion  was  approved  as  proposed  by  the  Polish  Bishops. 
Therefore,  he  concludes,  the  Church  by  such  a  decree  meant  to 
confine  the  formal  object  to  the  created  love.  Needless  to  say  that 
such  an  inference  is  unwarrantable.  Nor  could  it  be  justified  on 
the  ground  that  the  subsequent  decrees  of  Pius  VI  and  Pius  IX 
likewise  fail  to  make  a  special  mention  of  the  increated  love. 

The  first  decree  which  gives  us  an  inkling  that  the  pre-incarnate 
love  is  to  be  included  in  the  devotion  to  the  Sacred  Heart,  was 
given  on  Febr.  6,  1765.  In  this  it  is  stated  that  the  approved  Mass 
and  Office  are  intended  to  commemorate  symbolically  that  divine 
love  under  the  impulse  of  which  the  only  Begotten  Son  of  God, 
took  upon  Himself  human  nature,  and  becoming  obedient  unto 
death  wished  thereby  to  give  an  example  to  men  as  One  who  is 
meek  and  humble  of  Heart.1 

Father  Vermeersch  would  not  permit  any  one  to  be  influenced 
in  his  decision  by  this  particular  decree,  for,  as  he  maintains,  it 
was  suppressed  by  the  Congregation  of  the  Sacred  Rites,  when 
it  revised  all  its  decrees  to  publish  an  authentic  edition. 
To  eliminate  useless  or  contradictory  decrees  is,  according 
to  Father  Vermeersch,  the  reason  generally  given  for  this  revision. 

1  Respondit  Congregatio  Sacrorum  Rituum,  "huius  Missae  et  Officii  celebra- 
tione  non  aliud  agi,  quam  ampliari  cultum  iam  institutum  et  symbolice  re- 
novari  memoriam  illius  divini  amoris;  quo  Unigenitus  Dei  Flius  humanam 
suscepit  naturam,  et  factus  obediens  usque  ad  mortem,  praebere  se  dixit  ex- 
emplum  hominibus,  quod  esset  mitis  et  humilis  corde."  (Niu,ES,  op.  cit.,  cap. 
Ill,  P.  81.) 


EXPLANATION  OF  CREATED  AND  IN  CREATED  LOVE       107 


Since,  however,  no  official  decision  was  rendered  explanatory  of 
the  suppression  of  this  particular  decree,  it  would  be  futile  to  con- 
jecture the  causes  leading  to  such  a  step.  However,  there  is  a 
good  ground  to  suppose  that  the  cause  of  its  suppression  is  not  to 
be  sought  in  the  supposition  that  it  was  contradictory  to  some  pre- 
vious decrees.  Our  reason  for  this  statement  is  the  following: 

On  Apr.  4,  1900,  the  Sacred  Congregation  rendered  a  decision 
concerning  the  Scapular  of  the  Sacred  Heart.  This  particular  de- 
cree is  not  suppressed,  yet,  some  of  the  words  in  which  it  is  couched 
are  practically  identical  with  those  contained  in  the  suppressed 
decree.  Now,  it  is  not  likely  that  the  words  of  a  decree,  once 
erased  for  the  reason  that  they  were  contradictory  to  others,  would 
be  repeated.  It  also  goes  to  prove  that  the  elimination  of  the 
decree  was  not  due  to  the  groundless  supposition  that  its  words 
admitted  an  interpretation  which  the  Church  wished  to  obviate. 
"To  the  religious  solemnities,"  the  decree  states,  "we  are  to  add  the 
one  instituted  by  the  Church  in  honor  of  the  Sacred  Heart.  By 
this  solemnity  the  Church  does  not  mean  to  put  before  us  only  the 
Heart  of  the  Son  of  God  and  man,  as  an  object  worthy  of  adora- 
tion and  glorification,  but  it  also  intends  to  commemorate  symboli- 
cally the  memory  of  that  divine  love,  which  induced  the  only  Be- 
gotten Son  of  God  to  assume  human  nature,  and  being  obedient 
unto  death,  exhibited  to  men  examples  of  virtues,  and  showed  Him- 
self as  one  possessing  a  humble  and  meek  Heart."  x  That  divine 
love,  under  the  impulse  of  which  the  only  Begotten  Son  of  God  and 
man  assumed  human  nature  is  therefore  included  as  being  solemn- 


1  "Inter  has  (celebritates)  accensenda  est  solemnitas  in  honorem  Sacri 
Cordis  Jesu  ab  Ecclesia  instituta,  per  quam  non  modo  Cor  Filii  Dei  et  hominis 
adorandum  et  glorificandum  proponitur  sed  etiam  symbolice  renovatur  me- 
moria  illius  divini  amoris,  quo  idem  Unigenitus  Dei  Filius  humanam  suscepit 
naturam,  et  factus  obediens  usque  ad  mortem,  praebuit  hominibus  exempla 
virtutum,  seque  ostendit  mitem  et  humilem  corde."  (Acta  Sanctae  Sedis,  torn. 
XXXII,  p.  631.) 


108  EXPLANATION  OF  CREATED  AND  INCREATED  u>vE 

ized  by  the  Feast  in  honor  of  the  Sacred  Heart.  It  is  evident  that 
the  above  love  corresponds  perfectly  with  the  definition  of  the 
increated  love.  The  decree  combines  the  two  loves,  and  while  it 
seems  to  give  preference  to  the  created  love,  it  does  not  ignore  the 
increated  love.  They  are  both  to  be  conjointly  commemorated  as 
symbolized  by  the  Heart. 

Another  decree  issued  in  1821  conveys  the  same  idea  and  may  be 
adduced  as  another  proof  in  favor  of  the  increated  love.  "The 
Feast  of  the  Sacred  Heart,"  it  states,  "recalls  to  us  the  immense 
love,  which  actuated  the  Word  to  become  incarnate  for  our  ransom 
and  salvation;  which  induced  Him  to  institute  the  Blessed  Sacrament 
of  the  Altar,  and  to  bear  our  sins,  as  well  as  to  offer  Himself  on  the 
cross  as  a  victim  and  sacrifice."  1 

The  hymn  of  the  Vespers  to  be  said  on  the  Feast  of  the  Sacred 
Heart  may  be  adduced  as  an  additional  proof  in  favor  of  the  above 
proposition. 

The  pre-incarnate  love  in  this  receives  a  prominence  especially 
in  the  second  and  third  verses. 

"Thee  Saviour  love  alone  constrained 
To  make  our  mortal  flesh  thine  own, 
And,  as  a  second  Adam,  come 
For  the  first  Adam  to  atone. 

That  self -same  love  which  made  the  sky, 
Which  made  the  sea  and  stars  and  earth 
Took  pity  on  our  misery, 
And  broke  the  bondage  of  our  birth."  2 


. .  S,  op.  cit.,  lib.  I,  p.  1,  cap.  Ill,  par.  5;  ib.  AI,VERY,  in  the  Rev.  Augus- 
tinienne,  torn.  X,  p.  183.) 

'"Amor  coegit  te  Deus 
Mortale  corpus  sumere 
Ut  novus  Adam  redderes 
Quod  vetus  ille  abstulerat. 
Ille  amor  almus  artifex 
Terrae  marisque  et  siderum, 
Errata  patrum  miserans, 
Et  nostra  rumpens  vincula." 

ROM.  Pars  Aest.  Festum  SS.  Cordis.) 


EXPLANATION  OF  CREATED  AND  INCREATED  LOVE  109 


This  verse  is  of  no  importance  in  the  estimation  of  Father  Ver- 
meersch.  "One  should  not  adduce  metrified  stanzas,"  he  remarks, 
"to  contradict  the  express  teaching  contained  in  the  lessons  of  the 
Office."  1  Be  that  as  it  may,  the  poetical  expression  of  that  love 
nevertheless  has  some  force.  Had  it  been  unliturgical  or  contra- 
dictory to  the  concept  entertained  on  this  subject  by  ecclesiastical 
authority,  it  would  not  have  merited  their  approbation. 

Some  spiritual  writers  see  an  adumbration  of  the  increated  love 
even  in  the  sixth  lesson  of  the  Office  where  reference  is  made  to  the 
suffering  and  to  the  dying  love,  as  well  as  to  the  love  which  was 
instrumental  in  instituting  the  Blessed  Sacrament  of  the  Altar. 
Such  inference,  however,  cannot  be  justified,  for  all  these  char- 
acteristics may  be  attributed  in  a  more  appropriate  sense  to  the 
created  love  which  is  to  be  viewed  as  being  united  to  the  Divinity. 

As  a  secondary  proof  one  could  adduce  some  invocations  taken 
from  the  Litany  of  the  Sacred  Heart  approved  by  the  Sacred 
Congregation  on  Apr.  2,  1899.  In  the  21st  invocation  we  pray: 
Heart  of  Jesus,  fountain  of  life  and  holiness.  In  the  28th  invoca- 
tion we  call  the  Heart  of  Christ:  Our  life  and  Resurrection.  In 
the  14th  invocation  we  speak  of  this  Heart  as  containing:  All  the 
treasures  of  wisdom  and  knowledge.  While  all  the  above  attri- 
butes may  be  predicated  of  the  Heart  of  Christ  without  being 
brought  into  correlation  with  His  pre-incarnate  love,  there  is  not 
sufficient  reason  why  they  should  be  confined  to  the  created  love. 
The  21st  and  28th  invocation  brings  the  Heart  of  Christ  into  rela- 
tion with  life.  Why  should  the  Church  in  the  same  Litany  make 
use  of  two  invocations  whose  meaning  is  almost  the  same  ?  Would 
it  not  be  more  appropriate  to  interpret  the  Heart  in  the  21st  invo- 

^'Mais,  nous  Taverns  deja  observe  s'il  y  avait  une  opposition,  il  est  clair 
que  Ton  ne  saurait  alleguer  des  strophes  assujetties  au  metre,  pour  objecter 
contre  les  enseignements  precis  des  lecons  de  Toffice."  (VERMEERSCH,  op. 
cit.t  torn.  II,  ch.  I,  art.  V,  p.  61.) 


110  EXPLANATION  OF  CREATED  AND  INCREATED  LOVE 


cation  as  symbolizing  the  love  shown  by  Christ  in  our  creation? 
In  this  case  the  28th  invocation  could  be  interpreted  as  referring 
to  our  spiritual  re-birth  through  the  mystery  of  the  Redemption. 
Thus  the  Heart  would  suggest  to  our  mind  the  idea  of  the  created 
as  well  as  of  the  increated  love. 

It  must  be  admitted  that  the  evidence  adduced  thus  far  is  not 
conclusive.  Up  to  the  present  the  Church  has  not  determined 
clearly  the  nature  and  the  extent  of  the  love  which  constitutes  the 
whole  formal  object  of  the  devotion  to  the  Sacred  Heart.  The 
above  decisions,  however,  carry  sufficient  weight  to  induce  any  one 
to  accept  the  increated  love  as  a  partial  formal  object.  In  order 
to  come  to  a  more  definite  conclusion  it  will  be  necessary  to  appeal 
to  a  few  generally  accepted  theological  principles. 


CHAPTER  X. 


SPECULATIVE   CONSIDERATION  OF  CREATED  AND  INCREATED  I/)VE. 


The  finite  mind  of  man  cannot  fathom  the  inscrutable  mystery  of 
the  Blessed  Trinity.  Our  reason,  however,  dictates  that  since  we 
are  to  distinguish  three  divine  Persons,  tres  sunt  volentes,  sed  unica 
•uoluntas.  This  conclusion  is  necessitated  by  the  oneness  of  the 
Divine  Essence  and  the  harmony  which  we  know  must  needs  exist 
among  the  three  divine  Persons.  To  each  Person  we  must  attribute 
a  share  in  the  mystery  of  the  Incarnation.  It  is  true  that  only  the 
second  Person  of  the  Blessed  Trinity  became  really  incarnate,  but 
this  plan  could  not  be  actualized  without  the  co-operation  of  the 
other  two.  The  Redemption  by  the  Son  of  God  and  His  Incarna- 
tion were  decreed  from  all  eternity.  Since  such  an  intimate  rela- 
tionship was  to  exist  between  mankind  and  the  second  Person  of 
the  Blessed  Trinity,  it  may  be  maintained  that  the  same  Person 
played  an  important  role  in  the  creation  of  man.  Though  the 
love  of  God  the  Son  towards  mankind  was  not  actualized  in  a 
tangible  way  for  us  till  the  Incarnation,  it  really  existed  from  all 
eternity,  and  the  creation  may  be  considered  as  the  first  ray  of  its 
manifestation. 

It  would  be  preferable  to  call  this  love  pre-incarnate  rather  than 
increated.  The  latter  implies  the  plenitude  of  the  love  of  the  Logos, 
while  the  former  brings  His  love  into  correlation  with  the  Incar- 
nation, thus  characterizing  and  defining  it  more  clearly.  Thus  the 
term  pre-incarnate  suggests  the  idea  of  the  creature  towards  whom 
this  love  has  been  exhibited,  and  this  is  the  idea  to  be  conveyed. 

Ill 


112  SPECULATIVE;  CONSIDERATION  OF 


It  is  easy  to  conceive  a  love  of  God  the  Son  which  actuated  Him 
to  co-operate  in  our  creation.  We  can  also  picture  to  ourselves  a 
love  in  this  second  Person  of  the  Blessed  Trinity,  which  induced 
Him  to  take  upon  Himself  human  nature,  and  to  subject  Himself 
voluntarily  to  all  the  subsequent  sorrows.  It  is  precisely  this  latter 
love  which  the  decree  referred  to  above  permits  to  be  included  in 
the  formal  object  of  the  devotion  to  the  Sacred  Heart.  In  a  pre- 
vious chapter  it  has  been  pointed  out  that  this  love  was  not  annihi- 
lated in  Christ  in  consequence  of  the  assumption  of  human  nature, 
but  continued  to  exist  in  the  Logos. 

This  particular  love,  however,  is  not  to  be  confined  to  the  second 
Person  of  the  Blessed  Trinity  so  as  to  exclude  the  other  two.  But, 
to  show  a  special  worship  for  justifiable  reasons  to  this  specified 
love  of  God  the  Son  towards  us,  it  may  be  considered  as  peculiar  to 
Him  by  way  of  appropriation. 

In  the  earthly  life  of  Christ  it  is  possible  to  point  out  human, 
divine  and  mixed  acts.  Though  one  divine  Person,  He  possessed  two 
natures,  two  wills,  therefore,  two  loves.  All  His  acts  were  subordi- 
nated to  His  divine  will  and  love.  His  divine  nature  makes  use  of 
the  operation  of  the  human  nature,  as  of  the  operation  of  its  instru- 
ment, and  in  the  same  way  His  human  nature  shares  in  the  opera- 
tion of  the  divine  nature  as  an  instrument  shares  in  the  operation 
of  the  principal  agent.1 

Thus,  it  is  always  the  ever-existing  Person  that  is  acting.  The 
words  He  expresses  are  eternal  truths.  His  divine  intellect  tries 
to  put  the  words  of  eternal  wisdom  into  such  language  as  our 
imperfect  understanding  can  grasp.  Hence,  the  use  of  parables  for 
the  sake  of  illustration.  Man  is  so  constituted  that  by  means  of  a 


1<<Divina  natura  utitur  operatione  naturae  humanae,  sicut  operatione  sui 
instrument! ;  et  similiter  humana  natura  participat  operationem  divinae 
naturae,  sicut  instrumentum  jparticipat  operatioriem  'principalis  agentis." 
(ST.  THOMAS,  p.  Ill,  qu  .XIX,  art.  I.) 


CREATED  AND  IN  CREATED  LOVE  113 

visible  image  he  can  more  easily  form  a  concept  of  something  in- 
visible. The  importance  of  this  truism  is  accentuated  by  St.  Paul 
when  he  expresses  Himself  to  the  effect  that :  "The  invisible  things 
of  Him  (God),  from  the  creation  of  the  world,  are  clearly  seen, 
being  understood  by  the  things  that  are  made."  J 

In  order  to  exemplify  in  a  visible  manner  the  love  of  God  towards 
mankind  Christ  employed  His  human  nature.  It  is  for  this  reason 
that  He  was  made  in  the  likeness  of  man,  2  and  in  the  habit  found 
as  a  man,  but  without  sin.3  He  made  use  of  the  same  words,  and 
meant  to  convey  the  same  meaning  by  them  as  men  ordinarily  do. 
Therefore,  the  words  He  used  on  the  occasion  of  His  apparition  to 
Blessed  Margaret  Mary,  viz.,  Behold  the  Heart  which  has  loved  men 
so  much  are  to  be  interpreted  in  their  obvious  signification.  The 
word  heart  in  this  connection  ought  not  to  be  deprived  of  the  wealth 
of  meaning  which  the  popular  mind  in  common  parlance  is  accus- 
tomed to  associate  with  such  a  term.  We  know,  as  a  matter  of  fact, 
that  its  symbolism  has  never  been  limited  to  the  created  love  for, 
in  the  Old  Testament,  it  symbolized  the  love  of  God.  This  latter 
symbolism  of  the  heart,  therefore,  refers  to  the  plenitude  of  that 
purely  divine  love  of  which  the  pre-incarnate  love  is  only  a  part. 
Hence,  it  would  be  rather  difficult  to  adduce  convincing  arguments 
to  justify  the  statement  of  those  theologians  who  maintain  that  the 
symbolical  representation  of  the  Heart  in  the  New  Testament  has 
narrowed  down  to  the  created  love. 

God  was  pleased  with  the  Temple  Solomon  erected  in  His  honor. 
"I  have  chosen,  and  have  sanctified  this  place,  that  my  name  may 
be  there  forever,  and  my  eyes  and  my  heart  may  remain  there  per- 
petually." 4  The  word  heart  in  this  passage  has  always  been  taken  as 


lRom.   I.   20. 
*PhiL  II.  7. 
•  Heb.  IV.  15. 
4 II.  Par.  VII.  16. 


114  SPECULATIVE    CONSIDERATION    OF 


a  metaphorical  expression  for  God's  love.  Without  multiplying 
examples  we  can  see  that  the  word  heart  may  symbolize  even  that 
love  which  the  divine  Persons  entertained  for  us  before  the  In- 
carnation. 

Again,  the  Heart  which  Christ  showed  to  Blessed  Margaret  Mary 
was  a  creation  of  the  pre-incarnate  love.  It  is  not  the  created  love 
which  induced  the  second  Person  of  the  Blessed  Trinity  to  become 
incarnate,  for  the  mystery  of  the  Incarnation  is  prior  to  this  love. 
Nor  did  the  created  love  conceive  the  institution  of  the  Blessed 
Sacrament  of  the  Altar,  it  was  only  a  contributory  motive  and  a 
co-operative  cause  in  the  act  of  executing  the  plan  proposed  by  a 
purely  divine  Agent.  It  is  admitted  by  all  spiritual  writers  that 
in  the  devotion  to  the  Sacred  Heart  we  worship  the  created  love 
of  Christ  inasmuch  as  it  inspired  Him  to  embrace  death  for  us, 
and  remain  with  us  in  the  Holy  Eucharist.  But  what  reason  can 
be  given  to  justify  the  exclusion  of  that  love  which  brought  into 
existence  this  created  love,  and  without  which  the  Incarnation  and 
the  institution  of  the  Blessed  Eucharist  would  not  have  been  ren- 
dered possible.  Some  writers  contend  that  Christ  did  not  intend  to 
give  such  a  comprehensive  meaning  to  the  words:  Voila  ce  coeur 
qui  a  tant  aime  les  hommes.  It  is  a  gratuitous  assumption  which 
may  be  answered  by  saying  that  no  man  is  in  a  position  to  ascertain 
with  certainty  the  mind  of  Christ  in  this  respect,  nor  can  any  one 
be  sure  that  such  an  utterance  is  calculated  to  confine  the  meaning  of 
the  above  words  to  the  created  love  alone. 

The  advocates  of  this  limited  interpretation  bring  forth  proofs 
which  are  very  plausible  but  far  from  being  convincing.  Christ, 
they  say,  meant  to  establish  a  special  cult  to  His  love.  He  wished 
also  that  we  pay  a  very  special  tribute  to  His  Heart  which  played 
such  an  important  part  in  the  Redemption  of  mankind  by  the  shed- 
ding of  its  blood.  The  latter  having  such  an  intimate  rapport  with 
love  facilitated  His  design,  and  thus  the  two  became  united.  St. 


CREATED  AND  INCREATED  LOVE  115 


Thomas  says  that  in  every  movement  of  the  soul  there  is  an  increase 
or  decrease  in  the  natural  movement  of  the  heart,  according  as  the 
heart  is  moved  more  or  less  intensely  by  the  systole  and  dyastole.1 
Even  the  Sacred  Scripture  seems  to  refer  to  such  an  internal  agita- 
tion.2 Therefore,  He  who  was  meek  and  humble  of  Heart,3  in- 
tended to  introduce  the  worship  only  of  that  love  in  which  this 
physical  Heart  co-operated  to  some  extent,  and  of  which  it  may 
justly  be  considered  as  a  symbol. 

Though  hardly  any  theologian  would  hesitate  to  subscribe  to  the 
above  reasoning,  it  may  still  be  questioned  whether  there  is  suffi- 
cient evidence  to  justify  the  exclusion  of  the  increated  love.  It  is 
undeniable  that  the  fleshy  Heart  of  Christ  cannot  symbolize  the 
increated  love  in  the  same  way  in  which  it  is  the  true  symbol  of  the 
created  love,  not  only  because  there  is  a  physiological  basis  for  the 
latter,  but  also  because  a  general  conventionality  adopts  such  a 
usage.  Besides,  the  Sacred  Scripture  permits  us  to  view  the 
heart  as  the  seat  in  which  the  created  love  of  Christ  resided.  To 
predicate  the  same  relationship  between  the  created  Heart  and  the 
increated  love  would  be  a  physiological  as  well  as  a  theological 
error.  The  pre-incarnate  love,  as  considered  by  itself,  separated 
from  the  humanity  of  Christ,  did  not  need  to  make  use  of  the  Heart, 
while  the  created  love  was  always  bound  to  enter  into  some  rela- 
tion with  it.  Just  as  it  is  improper  to  say  that  Jesus,  according  to 
His  divine  nature,  thought  by  means  of  His  brain,  it  is  likewise 
incorrect  to  assert  that  according  to  the  same  nature  He  loved  us 
by  means  of  His  Heart.  Father  LeDore  speaks  of  the  continued 
reciprocal  influence  which  he  imagines  to  have  existed  between  the 
two  loves.  He  also  insists  on  the  repercussions  of  the  created 

1MIn  omni  passione  animae  additur  aliquid,  vel  diminuitur  a  naturali  motu 
cordis;  inquantum  cor  intensius,  vel  remissius  movetur,  secundum  systolem, 
aut  diastolem."  (ST.  THOMAS,  lallae,  qu.  XXIV,  a.  II,  ad  2um.) 

1  Luke  XXIV.  32. 

8  Matt.  XI.  29. 


116  SPECULATIVE    CONSIDERATION    OF 

love  on  the  increated  love.  Father  Vermeersch  remarks  that  we 
should  not  indulge  too  much  in  this  anthropomorphic  aspect.  The 
increated  love,  he  contends,  does  not  produce  a  sensible  emotion 
in  the  Heart  except  by  a  miracle,  hence,  how  could  it  be  symbolized, 
at  least  immediately,  by  a  Heart  which  is  always  in  motion,  and 
whose  movement  is  varied.1 

Here  again  it  must  be  emphasized  that  no  one  should  consider 
the  Heart  as  a  direct  or  immediate  symbol  of  Christ's  pre-incarnate 
love.  We  are  all  aware  of  the  fact  that  the  increated  love  existed 
before  the  Heart,  it  acted  without  this  Heart,  and  it  was  the  cause 
of  this  Heart's  existence.  Therefore,  the  pre-incarnate  love,  being 
in  time  prior  to  the  Heart,  cannot  be  represented  by  this  physical 
organ  to  the  same  extent  as  may  be  claimed  for  the  created  love 
which  began  to  exist  simultaneously  with  the  Heart. 

As  regards  the  created  love,  the  Heart  in  this  connection  is  not 
to  be  taken  metaphorically,  but  symbolically.  It  must  be  borne  in 
mind  that  the  decrees  of  the  Sacred  Congregation  speak  of  the 
Heart  only  as  a  symbol  of  love,  but  they  do  not  represent  it  as  the 
seat  or  organ  of  love.  Father  Vermeersch  in  his  work  lays  great 
stress  on  this  point,  for  it  is  an  important  factor  of  the  devotion. 
We  must  not  lose  sight  of  the  ratio  significatus.  Therefore,  directly 
and  immediately  the  Heart  as  a  symbol  can  convey  only  the  idea 
of  a  created  love.  But  is  there  anything  to  prevent  the  supposition 
that,  taken  metaphorically,  it  may  also  serve  to  express  the  increated 
love? 

Man  placed  on  this  earth  is  by  necessity  compelled  to  make  use 
of  the  visible  things,  by  means  of  which  he  can  ascend  higher. 


i  "Acte  unique,  eternel,  immuable  d'une  volonte  toujours  paisible  et  heureuse, 
1'amour  incree  ne  produirait  que  par  miracle  une  emotion  sensible  au  coeur; 
ct  comment  serait-il  symbolise,  au  moins  immediatement,  par  un  coeur 
toujours  en  mouvement  et  en  mouvement  varie?"  (VERMEERSCH,  op.  c\t.,  vol. 
II,  ch.  I,  part.  V,  p.  68.) 


CREATED  AND  INCREATED  I,OVE  117 


After  we  have  viewed  the  Heart  as  the  direct  symbol  reserved  for 
the  created  love,  must  we  needs  stop  there  without  attempting  to 
reach  the  realm  of  the  Divinity,  in  order  thus  to  contemplate  the 
increated  love?  Should  not  our  worship  always  tend  to  the  abso- 
lutely infinite?  Why,  then,  should  it  terminate  in  something  that 
is  only  relatively  infinite,  as  the  love  of  Christ  (amor  Dei-virilis) 
elicited  by  the  Person  of  the  Logos  through  the  instrumentality  of 
human  nature?  Hence,  it  would  seem  to  be  perfectly  legitimate  to 
consider  the  heart  as  it  was  viewed  in  the  Old  Testament,  viz.,  as 
being  capable  of  representing  metaphorically  even  a  purely  divine 
love. 

Again,  it  is  clear  that  the  fleshy  Heart  of  Christ  in  this  connection 
cannot  emblemize  metaphorically  all  the  increated  love  of  the  three 
divine  Persons.  The  Second  Divine  Person  was  destined  from  all 
eternity  to  enter  into  a  relationship  with  mankind  which  was  not 
to  be  attributed  to  the  other  two.  In  the  Blessed  Trinity  ires  sunt 
volentes,  sed  una  voluntas,  ergo  tres  sunt  amantes  sed  unus  amor. 
By  way  of  appropriation  we  refer  to  the  love  under  the  impulse  of 
which  He  became  incarnate  in  order  to  make  possible  the  Redemp- 
tion. The  decree  of  Apr.  4,  1900,  expressly  mentions  such  a  love, 
and  points  to  it  as  one  which  is  to  be  commemorated  in  the  devo- 
tion to  the  Sacred  Heart.1 

That  there  is  nothing  to  militate  against  the  assumption  of  such 
a  love  we  can  prove  by  theological  arguments.  The  Sacred  Scrip- 
ture tells  us  that  "God  so  loved  the  world,  as  to  give  His  only 
Begotten  Son."2  This  passage  attributes  a  love  to  God  the  Father 
which  is  His  own  in  a  special  way.  While  the  love  of  the  other 


1  "Symbolice  commemoratur  memoria  illius  divini  amoris,  quo  idem  Uni- 
genitus  Dei  Filius  humanam  suscepit  naturam  ..."  (Acta  Sanctae  Sedis, 
vol.  XXII,  p.  631.) 

'John  III.  16. 


118  SPECULATIVE    CONSIDERATION    OF 


two  Persons  is  not  excluded,  we  can  also  say  that  it  is  appropriated 
in  a  special  way  to  the  Father.  Thus  we  may  say  that  "God  so 
loved  the  world  as  to  become  man."  In  this  love  we  likewise 
include  all  the  three  Persons,  but  the  love  of  God  the  Son  would 
stand  out  more  prominently,  though  merely  by  way  of  appropriation. 
Therefore,  this  love,  appropriated  to  the  second  Person,  according 
to  the  human  way  of  conceiving,  had  a  characteristic  differentiating 
it  from  the  love  of  the  other  two  Persons.  Such  is  the  increated 
love  which  is  to  be  included  as  a  partial  formal  object  in  the  devo- 
tion to  the  Sacred  Heart. 

To  confine  the  formal  object  of  the  devotion  to  the  created  love, 
it  is  necessary  that  either  there  should  be  a  special  pronouncement 
to  that  effect  on  the  part  of  the  Church,  or  some  very  imperative 
reason  should  dictate  such  a  course,  e.g.,  the  spiritual  welfare  of 
the  faithful.  In  the  present  instance  neither  of  these  reasons  can 
be  adduced.  On  the  contrary,  there  are,  on  the  one  hand,  specific 
decrees  permitting  the  inference  that  the  increated  love  is  not  to 
be  excluded,  and,  on  the  other  hand,  the  spiritual  benefit  accruing 
from  the  devotion  would  be  greater,  and  the  devotion  would  be 
established  on  a  firmer  basis,  if  the  pre-incarnate  love  were  included 
as  constituting  a  part  of  the  formal  object.  Father  Vignat,  cen- 
suring the  opinions  of  those  who  advocate  the  exclusion  of  the 
increated  love,  remarks  that  if  their  views  were  accepted,  then  the 
faithful  could  not  even  make  an  act  of  love  by  means  of  this  devo- 
tion. If  we  love  Jesus  Christ,  he  says,  solely  because  he  loved  us 
as  man,  we  do  not  make  an  act  of  charity.  Such  an  act  presup- 
poses not  only  that  we  love  God,  but  that  we  love  Him  for  His 
own  sake,  on  account  of  some  supreme  excellence,  or  a  certain 
aspect  of  His  infinite  perfection.  The  love  which  one  has  for 
Jesus  Christ  is  indeed  directed  to  God  Himself  by  virtue  of  the 
hypostatic  union.  But,  if  my  love  has  for  its  motive  a  perfection 
of  His  human  nature  only,  then  my  act  would  fail  to  be  an  act  of 


CREATED  AND  INCREATED  LOVE  119 


charity,  though  it  may  be  considered  as  a  preparatory  step  leading 
to  it.1 

Again,  we  perceive  in  our  age  a  tendency  to  use  the  emotional 
side  of  our  nature  for  a  perverse  end.  This  emotionalism  is  directed 
in  the  proper  channel  by  the  attractiveness  of  the  devotion  to  the 
Sacred  Heart.  But  we  must  be  on  our  guard  against  a  danger. 
While  we  ought  to  make  use  of  all  the  licit  means  to 
foster  a  holy  sentimentalism  in  this  respect,  we  should  not 
stop  until  we  can  cast  anchor  in  something  more  stable,  in  the 
sea  of  infinite  love,  where  we  find  only  one  sentiment,  and  that 
unchanging.  Why  should  one  tarry  on  the  way  to  admire  created 
beauty,  when  he  may  ascend  higher,  thus  to  revel  in  the  vision  of 
the  increated  love  to  which  all  things  owe  their  being? 

Therefore,  it  would  seem  that  there  is  no  particular  advantage 
in  excluding  the  pre-incarnate  love  from  this  devotion.  The  end 
of  man  is  the  beatific  vision  of  God.  He  ought  to  strive  to  come 
as  near  to  the  realization  of  this  end  as  his  human  nature  will 
permit  during  his  terrestrial  sojourn.  The  means  to  attain  this 
end  are  those  which  the  true  religion  offers  especially  by  means  of 
the  various  devotions.  By  means  of  the  created  Heart,  we  can 
directly  ascend  to  the  created  love,  and,  using  the  manifestations 
of  this  as  a  ladder,  we  should  mount  to  that  increated  and  abso- 
lutely infinite  love  which  the  second  Person  of  the  Blessed  Trinity 
elicited  towards  us  when  He  engaged  to  assume  the  burden  of  a 


^r,  si  nous  limitons  1'objet  de  la  devotion  a  1' amour  cree  de  Jesus-Christ; 
si  nous  aimons  Notre-Seigneur  uniquement  parce  qu'il  nous  a  aimes  comme 
homme,  nous  ne  faisons  pas  un  acte  de  charite.  L/acte  de  cette  vertu  theologale 
requiert  en  effet,  npn  seulement  que  nous  aimions  Dieu,  mais  que  nous  1' 
aimions  pour  lui-meme,  c'est-a-dire  a  cause  de  son  excellence  supreme  ou 
du  moins  a  cause  d'un  aspect  de  son  infinie  perfection.  L/ amour  que  je  porte 
a  Jesus-Christ  s'adresse  bien,  en  vertu  de  1'union  hypostatique,  a  Dieu  lui- 
meme;  mais  si  mon  amour  a  pour  motif  une  perfection  ou  une  amabilite  de 
sa  nature  humaine,  je  ferai  un  acte  excellent  sans  doute,  un  acte  qui  pourra 
preparer  1'acte  de  charite;  mais  ce  ne  sera  pas  cet  acte  meme.  (ViGNAT,  in 
the  Etudes  Rel,  vol.  CVII,  p.  652.) 


120  SPECULATIVE    CONSIDERATION    OF 

vicarious  satisfaction.  Furthermore,  it  is  a  mistake  to  distinguish 
to  such  a  pronounced  degree  between  the  two  loves.  All  admit 
that  there  are  two  loves  in  Christ  corresponding  to  His  two  wills 
and  two  natures.  But  it  is  only  one  and  the  same  Person  that  wills 
and  loves.  All  the  acts  must  eventually  be  referred  to  the  Logos. 
We  may,  indeed,  consider  the  two  loves  abstracted  in  so  far  as  the 
subordinate  love  will  help  us  to  arrive  at  the  realization  of  the 
superior  love,  but  we  should  not  pause  at  the  former.  This  created 
love  is  to  be  considered  as  terminus  per  quern,  in  contradistinction 
to  the  increated  love  which  is  to  be  viewed  as  the  terminus  ad  quern. 

Those  in  favor  of  the  separation  of  these  two  loves  anticipate  a 
danger  of  heresy  from  their  union.  The  prominence  assigned  to 
the  created  love  by  means  of  which  the  increated  is  to  be  reached, 
ought  to  obviate  all  possibility  of  falling  into  the  heresy  of  either 
the  Monophysites  or  the  Monothelites. 

Father  Vermeersch  hesitates  to  subscribe  to  the  priciples  enunci- 
ated above  on  account  of  certain  authoritative  statements  which 
apparently  are  in  contradiction  with  such  views.  He  brings  up  the 
words  of  Benedict  XIV,  and  the  Encyclical  of  Leo  XIII.  These, 
he  maintains,  militate  against  accepting  the  word  heart  in  such  a 
heteroclitic  sense  as  to  consider  it  a  symbol  of  the  increated  love. 
But,  since  the  heart  was  the  object  of  such  a  symbolism  in  the  Old 
Covenant,  the  metaphorical  meaning  attached  to  it  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment is  not  quite  as  heteroclitic  as  it  would  appear  at  first  sight. 
However,  in  order  that  the  foregoing  statements  may  retain  their 
force,  it  will  be  necessary  to  reconcile  them  with  the  words  of 
Benedict  XIV  and  the  Encyclical  of  Leo  XIII. 

Benedict  XIV  states  that  no  Feast  in  honor  of  Christ  is  directed 
to  God  the  Son  as  the  second  Person  of  the  Blessed  Trinity. 
All  the  Feasts  worship  Him  as  God-man,  representing  the  special 


CREATED  AND  INCREATED  IX)VE 


graces  and  deep  mysteries  which  the  Incarnate  Word  wrought  for 
the  salvation  of  mankind.1 

It  must  be  admitted  that  these  words  may  be  interpreted  as  mili- 
tating against  the  conclusion  established  in  the  preceding  pages. 
The  increated  love  is  the  love  of  God  the  Son  as  such.  It  is  alto- 
gether distinct  from  the  amor  Dei-virilis,  therefore,  we  are  intro- 
ducing into  the  Feast  of  the  Sacred  Heart  an  object  which  appar- 
ently conflicts  with  the  teaching  of  Benedict  XIV,  who  denies  that 
such  an  honor  may  be  paid  to  the  Logos  viewed  abstracted  from 
human  nature.  But,  it  is  likewise  easy  to  see  that  the  great  Pontiff 
in  the  above  extract  had  in  mind  a  direct  worship  of  the  Logos. 
If  we  advocated  a  direct  cult  to  be  paid  to  the  increated  love,  then 
our  teaching  would  be  irreconcilable  with  his  words.  Such,  how- 
ever, is  not  the  present  contention.  It  is  true  that  the  Feast  of  the 
Sacred  Heart  is  instituted  in  honor  of  the  fleshy  Heart  as  it  sym- 
bolizes the  created  love  of  Christ  directly.  But  the  symbolism  of 
the  same  Heart  may  be  extended  in  a  wider  sense  to  the  increated 
love  also.  Therefore,  this  latter  love  we  worship  indirectly.  If 
anyone  contend  that  it  is  unreasonable  to  combine  two  such  dis- 
similar elements  in  one  and  the  same  devotion,  Father  Vignat 
answers  that  this  union  is  necessitated  by  the  mystery  of  the  Incar- 
nation.2 

The  Encyclical  of  Leo  XIII  can  in  no  way  be  interpreted  as 
gainsaying  the  foregoing  conclusion.  Father  Vermeersch  fails  to 
paraphrase  it  correctly.  This  letter  "Divinum  illud"  expresses  the 
same  idea  as  we  find  in  the  works  of  Benedict  XIV,  but  it  is  some- 
what modified.  "Though  by  certain  Feasts,"  it  says,  "we  cele- 

^'Festa  omnia,  quorum  celebritas  ad  Christi  honorem  refertur,  non  diri- 
guntur  ad  Filium,  tamquam  ad  secundam  Sanctissimae  Trinitatis  Personam, 
sed  omnia  sunt  festa  Christi,  sive  Dei  facti  hominis,  representantia  singulares 
gratias  et  altissima  mysteria,  quae  verbum  incarnatum  operatum  est  ad 
humani  generis  salutem"  (De  Beat,  et  Can.,  I.  IV,  pars.  II,  cap.  XXXI,  n.  3.) 

3  VIGNAT,  loc.  cit.f  p.  646. 


122  SPECULATIVE    CONSIDERATION    OF 


brate  the  various  mysteries  of  the  incarnate  Word,  we  do  not  cele- 
brate by  a  proper  Feast  the  Word  according  to  His  divine  nature 
only"'1  The  modifier,  tantum  (only),  favors  our  proposition 
inasmuch  as  we  do  not  contend  that  we  worship  the  increated  love 
only,  but  that  also,  and  indirectly. 

Again,  even  if  these  two  documents  did  militate  against  the 
acceptation  of  some  of  the  above  conclusions,  it  must  be  borne  in 
mind  that  they  are  not  apodictic  proofs,  as  Father  Alvery  remarks, 
against  which  there  is  no  higher  appeal  before  the  tribunal  of  human 
reason.2  Though  their  argumentative  force  cannot  be  denied,  it 
is  likewise  true,  that  they  do  not  possess  a  "sovereign  value."  Fur- 
thermore, it  could  be  added  that  the  first  contains  only  a  semblance 
of  contradiction  against  our  conclusion,  while  the  second  could 
hardly  be  interpreted  as  militating  against  it.  Therefore,  there  is 
no  reason  to  question  the  view  advocated  in  this  chapter. 

Father  Vermeersch  is  very  reluctant  to  extend  the  symbolism  of 
the  physical  Heart  to  the  increated  love.  By  subtilizing  those  de- 
crees of  the  Sacred  Congregation  which  were  interpreted  above  as 
referring  to  the  increated  love,  he  maintains  that  they  do  not  neces- 
sarily imply  the  idea  imputed  to  them.  Towards  the  end  of  his 
article,  however,  he  assumes  a  more  conciliatory  tone,  and  the  fol- 
lowing is  his  concluding  remark.  One  might  say  that  the  heart  of  a 
person  symbolizes  his  love.  But  the  Heart  of  Jesus  is  the  Heart 
of  the  Word.  Therefore,  it  symbolizes  the  love  of  the  Word. 
He  distinguishes  the  major  proposition.  The  heart  of  a  person  who 
possesses  only  one  nature  may  symbolize  that  person's  love,  he  con- 
cedes; to  say  the  same  about  the  heart  of  a  person  who  possesses 


1  Quod  si  singula  incarnati  Verbi  mysteria  certis  diebus  festis  celebrantur, 
non  tamen  proprio  ullo  festo  celebratur  Verbum,  secundum  divinam  tan- 
tum naturam."  (Ada  Sanctae  Sedis,  torn.  XXIX,  p.  646.) 

J"Ils  ne  constituent  pas  ce  qu'on  appelle  une  demonstration  apodictique 
contre  laquelle  il  n'est  plus  d'appel  au  tribunal  de  la  raison  humaine." 
,  loc.  tit.,  p.  566.) 


CREATED  AND  INCREATED  LOVE 


two  natures,  he  subdistinguishes :  it  may  symbolize  the  love  of  the 
same  nature  of  that  person,  he  concedes ;  the  love  of  another  nature 
than  His  own,  he  again  subdsitinguishes :  as  nearly  and  in  the  same 
way,  he  denies ;  in  a  different  way  and  remotely,  he  admits.1 

To  clarify  the  explanation  of  the  increated  love,  the  question 
may  be  raised  which  of  these  two  loves  is  the  primary  and  which 
the  secondary  formal  object  of  the  devotion  to  the  Sacred  Heart? 
Some  of  the  statements  made  concerning  the  primariness  and  the 
secondariness  existing  between  the  material  and  the  formal  objects 
may  help  us  here,  but  they  must  be  applied  with  due  limitation. 

An  object  may  be  primary  either  in  the  order  of  time,  or  by 
reason  of  excellence.  If  we  address  ourselves  first  to  the  Heart, 
and  by  means  of  it  try  to  come  to  the  realization  of  the  love,  then, 
in  the  order  of  time  the  Heart  is  the  primary  object,  and  the  love  the 
secondary,  and  vice  versa.  Of  the  two  loves  which  constitute  the 
formal  object  of  the  devotion,  the  primary  by  reason  of  excellence 
is  the  increated  love.  But  the  spirit  of  the  devotion  to  the  Sacred 
Heart  will  not  permit  that  this  particular  love  be  our  primary 
object  in  the  order  of  time.  Such  a  love  has  no  connection  with 
the  Heart.  Therefore,  if  one  viewed  it  in  its  absolute  excellence, 
he  would,  indeed,  practice  the  highest  cult  of  love,  but  it  would  not 
be  within  the  domain  of  the  devotion  to  the  Sacred  Heart.  In  order 
that  the  pre-incarnate  love  may  be  included  in  this  devotion  it 
must  be  arrived  at  through  the  medium  of  the  Heart.  Hence,  one 
may  speak  of  the  primariness  and  the  secondariness  of  the  two 
loves  only  from  the  point  of  view  of  excellence,  in  which  case  the 
created  is  inferior  to  the  increated. 

Theologians  agree  that  latria  is  the  cult  to  be  paid  to  the  humanity 
of  Christ.  Some  of  them  raise  the  question  with  what  worship 
should  it  be  honored  if  viewed  in  abstraction  from  the  divinity? 


1  VERMEERSCH,  op  cit.,  torn.  II,  ch.  I,  art.  V,  p.  71. 


124  SPECULATIVE    CONSIDERATION    OF 


They  are  practically  unanimous  in  concluding  that  the  worship  in 
such  a  case  should  be  hyperdulia.  But  such  an  abstraction  ap- 
pears offensive  to  many  of  them,  for  every  person  ought 
to  be  paid  the  highest  honor  that  he  deserves  for  the  highest 
reason  his  dignity  requires.  The  same  principle  could  be 
applied  in  this  case.  It  is  offensive  to  separate  the  two  loves 
in  the  devotion  to  the  Sacred  Heart,  and  pay  honor  to  the  Per- 
son of  the  Logos  for  only  a  relatively  highest  love  when  there  is  a 
sufficient  reason  to  justify  such  a  worship  for  an  absolutely  highest 
love.  In  other  words,  why  should  the  Heart  symbolize  only  the 
love  which  wept  with  Lazarus,  and  not  also  the  one  which  created 
him.  It  is  true  that  the  Heart  had  a  vital  relation  with  the  first 
and  only  an  imagined  one  with  the  second,  but,  it  is  likewise  true 
that,  unless  the  two  loves  are  viewed  together,  we  fail  to  represent 
the  whole  love  of  the  Person  of  Christ  towards  mankind. 

Again,  all  the  acts  are  to  be  referred  to  the  person.  But,  if  the 
person  assumes  the  responsibility  for  all  his  acts,  he  is  to  be  viewed 
in  the  light  of  all  of  them  collectively.  Since  the  Person  of  Christ 
elicited  a  created  and  an  increated  love,  we  would  fail  to  view  Him 
in  the  light  of  all  His  acts,  in  case  we  ignored  those  which  He  per- 
formed through  tke  impulse  of  the  pre-incarnate  love. 

Father  Alvery  censures  those  who  are  inclined  to  advocate  such 
a  definite  line  of  demarcation  between  the  two  loves.  He  argues 
that  the  human  nature  of  the  Word  is  perfect  in  its  entity,  decrowned 
only  of  its  human  personality.  The  personality  is  the  principle  of 
action.  The  human  nature  of  Christ,  nevertheless,  is  acting  on  its 
own  resources,  but,  because  it  is  the  property  of  the  Word,  someone 
else  assumes  the  responsibility  for  its  acts.  It  follows  that  the  Heart 
beats  under  the  free  love  of  the  human  nature,  and  directly 
and  immediately  symbolizes  this  particular  love.  On  the  other 
hand,  this  Heart  and  this  love  appertain  to  the  Word  because  the 
actions  are  always  referred  to  the  Person,  hence,  they  can  be 


CREATED  AND  INCREATED  LOVE  125 

called  divine.  Therefore,  this  Heart  which  is  human  and  divine, 
symbolizes  necessarily  this  love  of  the  Word-made-flesh.  It  does 
not  follow  naturally  that  the  Heart  should  symbolize  that  love  also 
which  the  Word  possessed  from  all  eternity.  If  we  view  Christ 
in  His  two  natures,  we  see  in  the  human  nature  the  Heart  which 
throbs  for  love  of  us ;  from  this  Heart  and  love  we  ascend  to  the 
Person  of  the  Word,  because  they  are  the  Heart  and  the  love  of  the 
Son  of  God.  From  the  Word  we  mount  to  the  increated  love, 
which  logically  is  not  in  direct  rapport  with  the  created  love,  and 
is  not  in  relation  with  it  except  by  means  of  the  Word,  whose  Per- 
son subsists  in  the  human  nature.1 

Father  Ramiere  arrives  at  the  same  conclusion.  "Why,  then, 
should  we  be  surprised,"  he  says,  "that  Jesus  made  this  human 
Heart  and  love,  which  animate  Him,  the  special  object  of  a  devotion 
calculated  to  manifest  with  an  incomparable  splendor,  the  infinite 
love  which  God  feels  towards  us?  2 

Nor  would  the  human  love  in  the  Word-made-flesh  be  neutralized 
by  this  view.  His  body  was  only  a  usufructuary  of  the  Divinity, 
therefore,  it  is  capricious  to  divide  the  two  loves  as  do  some  the- 
ologians. "Jesus,"  Father  Vignat  argues,  "being  only  one  Person 
in  two  natures,  divine  and  human,  manifests  to  us  the  whole  love  of 
His  Person  by  His  Heart,  not  only  His  created  love,  but  His  in- 
created  withal.  Only  in  this  sense,  but  in  the  fullest  extent  of  this 


1Ai,v£RY,  loc.  c\t.t  p.  562. 

3 '.Comment  done  serions-nous  surpris  que  Jesus  ait  fait  de  ce  Coeur  hu- 
main  et  de  1'amour  humain,  qui  1'anime  1'objet  special  d'une  devotion  des- 
tinee  a  manifester  avec  une  incomparable  splendeur,  Pamour  infini  que  Dieu 
nous  porte."  (Messager  du  Coeur  de  Jesus,  vol.  XIV,  an.  1868,  p.  279.) 


126  SPECULATIVE    CONSIDERATION 


sense,  one  may  say :  Jesus  as  God  loves  us  by  means  of  His  human 
Heart."  * 

Father  Bainvel  expresses  the  same  truth  by  arguing  that  Jesus 
when  appearing  in  His  human  nature,  presents  Himself  simulta- 
neously as  a  divine  Person.  Hence,  though  His  Heart  does  not 
throb  with  the  increated  love,  still,  the  created  love  with  which  it 
does  throb  is  only  an  echo  of  the  increated  love.2 

Thus  many  other  modern  authors  could  be  cited  who  are  in  con- 
sonance with  the  opinions  expressed  in  this  chapter.  Though  their 
attention  might  not  have  extended  to  all  the  details  pointed  out  in 
the  course  of  this  investigation,  still,  their  statements,  if  followed  to 
their  logical  conclusion,  justify  the  supposition  that  they  are  in- 
clined to  accept  such  a  view.  How  much  soever  Father  Vermeersch 
may  object  to  some  of  the  foregoing  assertions,  his  final  statement 
may  be  quoted  in  confirmation  of  the  same  conclusion.  "We  wor- 
ship," he  says,  "the  living  Heart  of  Jesus  in  order  to  find  in  it 
the  theandric  love  which  it  symbolizes,  and  in  order  thus  to  elevate 
our  thoughts  through  the  latter  till  we  reach  the  increated  love,  of 
which  the  theandric  love  itself  is  the  supreme  benefit."  3 

Finally  one  must  not  ignore  the  universal  sentiment  of  the  faith- 
ful which  is  a  criterion  par  excellence,  and  as  such  an  important 
factor  in  settling  a  disputed  theological  question  concerning  a  deter- 
mined and  widespread  devotion.  It  cannot  be  denied  that  the  first 
exponents  of  this  devotion  had  only  a  very  imperfect  idea  of  the 


1  "Jesus  parce  qu'il  est  une  seule  personne  en  deux  natures,  divine  et  hu- 
maine,  nous  manifeste  tout  1'amour  de  sa  personne  par  son  coeur,  non 
seulement  son  amour  cree  mais  encore  son  amour  incree.  Dans  ce  sens 
seulement,  mais  dans  tout  ce  sens,  on  peut  dire:  Jesus,  en  tant  que  Dieu, 
nous  aime  par  son  coeur  humain."  (ViGNAT,  loc.  cit.,  p.  664.) 

2BAiNVEio  loc.  cit.,  col.  292. 

*  "Nous  honorons  le  Coeur  vivant  de  Jesus  pour  y  trouver  1'amour  thean- 
drique  qu'il  symbolise,  et  nous  clever  par  ce  dernier  jusqu'a  1'amour  incree, 
dont  cet  amour  theandrique  lui-meme  est  un  supreme  bienfait." 
op.  cit.,  torn.  II,  ch.  I,  art.  VI,  p.  97.) 


CREATED  AND  IN  CREATED  LOVE  127 

true  nature  and  extent  of  the  love  which  constitutes  its  formal 
object.  But,  it  is  likewise  manifest,  that  they  did  not  entirely  elim- 
inate the  pre-incarnate  love.  They,  however,  laid  a  greater  stress 
on  the  human  love,  elaborated  upon  it,  and  thus  promulgated  the 
devotion.  They  explicitated  this  love  by  bringing  it  into  relation 
with  all  the  spiritual  facts  which  can  be  gathered  from  Christian 
knowledge,  but,  above  all,  from  our  primary  empirical  and  intel- 
lectual intuition,  viz.,  the  Word  was  made  flesh,  and  dwelt  among 
us.1  The  expositional  side  of  the  devotion  accentuated  the  human 
love,  for  it  was  more  tangible  and  appealing.  But  from  experience 
we  know  that  the  common  people  do  not  separate  Christ  from  His 
Divinity.  They  view  Him  as  God  and  man.  Whether  they  are 
attracted  by  His  words  or  works,  even  in  His  purely  human  mani- 
festations, He  is  always  God  and  man  in  their  eyes.  They  never 
lose  sight  of  His  divine  Personality.  In  every-day  parlance  the 
word  heart  connotes  for  them  all  the  love  a  person  is  capable  of 
exhibiting.  While  they  do  not  make  a  clear-cut  distinction  between 
the  created  and  the  increated  love,  nevertheless,  the  Heart  sym- 
bolizes for  them  the  totality  or  plenitude  of  the  love  of  the  divine 
Person  in  Christ.  Therefore,  since  the  faithful  fail  to  distinguish 
between  the  two  loves,  this  should  be  an  additional  reason  in  favor 
of  non-separation. 

The  foregoing  remarks  are  not  to  be  interpreted  as  advocating  the 
fusion  of  the  two  loves  into  one.  On  the  contrary,  the  investiga- 
tion as  a  whole  is  calculated  to  bring  out  in  clear  relief  the  par- 
ticular excellence  and  domain  of  each  love.  But  it  may  be  con- 
tended that,  whereas,  there  is  no  particular  reason  for  such  a  definite 
separation,  and,  whereas,  the  faithful  mean  to  worship  the  entire 
love  of  the  divine  Person  to  whom  their  homages  are  paid,  the  two 
loves  ought  to  be  as  one  united  formal  object  of  the  devotion. 

1  John  I.  14. 


128  SPECULATIVE    CONSIDERATION    OF 

It  does  not  require  deep  theological  acumen,  nor  a  special  faculty 
of  discernment  to  see  that  the  decrees  of  the  Sacred  Congregation 
are  in  favor  of  promulgating  the  devotion  in  this  sense.  It  is  im- 
perative that  the  faithful  among  whom  this  devotion  reached  such 
a  high  degree  of  popularity  should  be  instructed  to  the  fullest 
extent  on  such  an  important  factor  of  a  devotion  as  the  formal 
object  must  needs  be.  Hence,  their  obscure  notions  must  be  clari- 
fied, and  if  they  entertain  any  erroneous  ideas,  it  is  incumbent  on 
the  teachers  of  the  Church  to  root  out  the  tares  in  order  that  the 
wheat  may  grow  in  their  soul. 

All  the  reasons  alleged  in  course  of  the  exposition  of  this  ques- 
tion are  based  either  on  ecclesiastical  documents  or  on  sound  theo- 
logical principles.  To  give  more  force  to  the  arguments  adduced, 
the  opinions  of  a  few  modern  theologians  have  been  quoted  in  the 
vernacular.  Still,  someone  might  take  exception  to  the  final  con- 
clusion on  the  ground  that  the  devotion,  in  its  early  stage,  was  not 
promulgated  in  that  sense.  Even  if  it  must  be  admitted  that  such 
an  assertion  is  not  entirely  gratuitous,  it  would  in  no  way  militate 
against  accepting  the  views  advocated  in  the  foregoing  pages.  To 
answer  the  above  objection  the  reader's  attention  is  called  to  the 
following  reasoning: 

The  Incarnation  is  the  foundation  of  Christianity.  All  admit  that 
in  the  sense  of  strictly  logical  evolution,  in  which  the  Christian 
doctrine  maintained  its  individuality  and  identity  throughout,  the 
word  germ  may  be  rightfully  applied  to  express  the  development 
of  dogma.  The  whole  initial  Christian  knowledge  is  contained  in 
one  sentence,  viz.,  The  Word  was  made  flesh,  and  dwelt  among  us.* 
This  primitive  intuition  forms  the  basis  of  what  may  be  called  the 
present  technical  concept  of  the  whole  Christian  doctrine.  Thus 
our  initial  knowledge  of  the  Sacred  Heart  may  also  be  considered 


John  I.  14. 


CREATED  AND  INCREATED  LOVE  129 


as  contained  in  one  sentence,  viz.,  Behold  the  Heart  which  has  loved 
men  so  much.  This  is  not  a  separate  knowledge,  but  only  a  part  of 
the  original  intuition  or  deposition.  But  if  we  may  admit  an 
evolution  in  the  primitive  Christian  knowledge,  in  the  sense  above 
indicated,  why  could  we  not  admit  an  evolution  also  in  its  ramifica- 
tions which  are  indissolubly  united  with  it.  The  devotion  to  the 
Sacred  Heart  is  based  on  incontestible  principles  of  Soteriology  and 
Christology.  It  was  approved  and  fostered  by  the  Church.  Under 
her  protection  it  progressed,  and  was  guided  in  the  proper  channel. 
She  extended  many  privileges  to  its  devotees,  and  interpreted  it 
for  them.  She  never  checks  a  devotion  unless  it  fosters  supersti- 
tion, nor  does  she  define  it  clearly  until  it  is  almost  fully  developed. 
Her  final  announcements,  as  a  rule,  are  indicative  of  the  general 
sentiments  of  the  faithful.  In  our  opinion  the  recent  decree  of 
Apr.  4,  1900,  clearly  states  that  the  Heart  is  to  be  considered  as 
symbolizing  the  twofold  love,  hence,  the  question  cannot  be  a  purely 
speculative  one,  when  so  defined. 

A  brief  resume  of  the  whole  investigation  could  be  presented  as 
follows :  In  the  devotion  to  the  Sacred  Heart,  we  worship  the  cor- 
poral Heart  of  the  Word-made-flesh  as  the  symbol  of  His  love. 
The  Heart  being  in  physical  rapport  with  the  human  love,  on 
account  of  their  mutual  vital  relationship,  directly  and  immediately 
symbolizes  the  created  love  of  Christ,  but  remotely  it  emblemizes 
His  increated  love  also.  By  His  increated  love  we  mean  the  love 
which  was  the  determinant  cause  of  His  Incarnation.  The  spirit 
of  the  devotion  requires  that  we  arrive  at  this  love,  by  a  transition 
cf  thought,  through  the  human  love  which  in  Him  is  to  be  viewed 
as  having  a  vital  nexus  with  the  fleshy  Heart  (Cor  Dei-virile). 
Thus  the  total  material  object  of  the  devotion  is  the  divino-human 
(theandric)  Heart  of  the  Word-made-flesh.  The  total  formal  ob- 
ject of  the  devotion  is  the  created  and  increated  love  which  the 
divine  Person,  the  Logos,  had  for  mankind,  the  former  being  sym- 
bolized by  His  physical  Heart  proximately  and  the  latter  remotely. 


CHAPTER  XL 


HISTORICAL    BASIS    FOR    THE    GREAT    PROMISE. 


According  to  a  letter  which,  as  many  contend,  was  directed  by 
Blessed  Margaret  Mary  to  Mother  de  Saumaise,  Our  Blessed  Lord 
promised  signal  spiritual  favors  to  all  those  who  communicate  nine 
successive  First  Fridays  of  every  month.  This  is  called  the  Devotion 
of  the  Nine  Fridays,  and  its  spiritual  reward  is  generally  designated 
by  the  name  of  the  Great  Promise.  The  present  chapter  is  devoted 
to  a  consideration  of  the  letter  above  mentioned. 

To  obviate  all  possibility  of  misunderstanding,  it  is  necessary,  at 
the  very  outset,  to  emphasize  the  fact  that  we  do  not  intend  to  con- 
cern ourselves  with  the  First  Friday  Devotion  strictly  so  called. 
That  is  a  most  salutary  practice  which  cannot  be  encouraged  with 
too  much  zeal  and  fervor.  The  reader's  attention  will  be  directed, 
almost  exclusively,  to  those  Holy  Communions  which,  in  order  that 
their  extraordinary  spiritual  benefits  may  accrue  to  the  communi- 
cant, must  be  nine  only  in  number,  and  must  be  received  nine  con- 
secutive First  Fridays  of  the  month. 

Before  any  judgment  may  be  pronounced  on  this  subject  the  pro- 
cedure of  historical  research  demands  that  we  first  examine  the 
document  in  which  the  promise  in  question  was  circulated.  Our 
investigation  shows  that  the  belief  in  such  an  extraordinary  efficacy 
of  nine  Holy  Comunions,  when  received  in  compliance  with  the  pre- 
scribed conditions,  is  based  upon  a  certain  letter,  the  date  of  which  as 
ordinarily  assigned  is  May,  1688.  Referring  to  the  question  of  its 

date  in  one  of  his  articles,  Father  Hamon  says :  "This  date  does  not 

130 


HISTORICAL   BASIS   FOR   THE   GREAT   PROMISE  131 


seem  certain  to  me.  The  Annals  of  the  monastery  of  Dijon  cite  a 
fragment  of  this  letter,  and  date  it  as  posterior  to  the  time  of  Feb- 
ruary, 1689.  Last  year  at  Roanne,  I  found  an  ancient  manuscript  in 
the  Visitation  convent  of  Paray  which  attributes  to  the  same  letter 
the  date  of  October  13,  1687  or  1689,  the  last  cipher  being  illegible."1 

This,  however,  is  not  the  only  regrettable  defect.  The  letter  is 
not  autographed.  At  the  most  it  may  be  considered  as  the  transcrip- 
tion of  an  original  no  longer  extant.  It  is  asserted  that 
the  correspondence  that  took  place  between  Blessed  Margaret 
Mary  and  Mother  de  Saumaise  was  solicitously  guarded  in 
the  convent  of  Dijon  up  to  the  time  of  the  French  Revolution. 
During  those  bloody  days  it  is  said  to  have  disappeared ;  and,  up  to 
the  present  it  has  not  been  recovered.  This  missing  epistle  has  been 
the  occasion  of  much  contention,  and  the  controversy  it  created  has 
been  expressed  in  unsparing  words  by  those  who  argued  that  the 
Great  Promise  was  founded  on  a  document  the  authenticity  of 
which,  in  their  estimation,  is  very  questionable,  and  the  spuriousness 
of  which  would  be  demonstrable  in  the  near  future.  The  Church 
took  no  official  part  in  this  discussion ;  she  left  the  matter  unsettled, 
and,  since  little  hope  can  be  entertained  for  the  recovery  of  the 
original  manuscript,  the  problem  is  likely  to  remain  unsolved  in- 
definitely. 

Several  plausible  arguments  have  been  adduced  in  favor  of  the 
authenticity  of  the  letter,  but  their  insufficiency  is  evident  from  the 
fact  that  they  fail  to  carry  conviction  to  a  considerable  number  of 
theologians.  Those  attacking  the  authenticity  of  the  letter  bring  for- 
ward numerous  objections  which,  with  the  proofs  and  evidences  at 
hand,  cannot  be  satis fcatorily  answered.  Therefore,  one  is  free  to 
take  either  side  of  the  controversy.  But  before  expressing  an  opin- 
ion it  will  be  well  to  canvass  the  arguments. 


1  HAMON,  Le  Texte  de  la  Grande  Promesse  du  Sacre  Coeur,  in  the  Etudes 
Religieuses,  vol.  XCV,  p.  854. 


132  HISTORICAL   BASIS   FOR  THE  GREAT  PROMISE 

The  most  important  reasons  ordinarily  adduced  in  support  of  the 
assertion  that  the  letter  in  question  is  an  authentic  copy,  in  substance 
corresponding  to  one  actually  written  by  the  Beata  herself,  are  as 
follows. 

Father  Hamon  rendered  an  inestimable  service  while  championing 
this  cause,  when  he  made  a  scientific  examination  of  the  writings  of 
Blessed  Margaret  Mary,  and  spent  much  time  and  energy  in  an  ear- 
nest endeavor  to  clarify  some  mistaken  ideas,  and  to  remove  many 
untenable  notions  which  the  opponents  of  the  Great  Promise  have 
entertained.  His  criticism  is  impartial,  his  premises  weighty,  and 
his  inferences  are  generally  justifiable  .  He  is,  without  doubt,  well 
qualified  to  pronounce  judgment  in  this  matter. 

To  justify  their  supposition  that  the  letter  referred  to  above  was 
actually  written  by  Blessed  Margaret  Mary,  and  forwarded  to 
Mother  de  Saumaise,  the  defenders  of  the  Great  Promise  adduce 
the  following  reasons. 

1.  A  reference  to  a  letter  of  such  nature  is  found  in  the  work  of 
Bishop  Languet,  wl»  published  the  most  important  life  of  Blessed 
Margaret  Mary  in  1729. l  This  allusion  clearly  states  the  contents  of 
the  letter,  though  not  a  single  one  of  its  words  claims  to  be  a  quota- 
tion. The  learned  author  declares  that  he  had  access  to  all  the  writ- 
ings and  documents  which  were  calculated  to  shed  light  on  the  life  of 
Blessed  Margaret  Mary.  Therefore,  a  statement  proceeding  from 
such  a  well-informed  pen  ought  to  be  considered  as  conclusive. 
Father  Hamon  remarks :  "We  have  heard  the  unjust  and  audacious 
criticism,  to  which  his  work  gave  rise.  It  seems  quite  probably, 
though  I  have  no  unmistakable  proofs  at  hand,  that  the  Jansenists 
and  Catholics,  opposed  to  the  devotion  to  the  Sacred  Heart,  spoke 


1  Bishop  LANGUET,  op.  cit.,  book  VII,  p.  241. 


HISTORICAL   BASIS   FOR  THE   GREAT   PROMISE)  133 


disparagingly  of  this  divine  and  incredible  promise."1  Moreover,  it 
cannot  be  maintained  without  danger  of  misrepresentation  that 
Bishop  Languet  received  erroneous  information,  for  up  to  the  year 
1789  the  manuscript  of  the  Beata  was  accessible  to  adversaries  and 
defenders  of  the  Great  Promise.  They  could  have  ascertained  and 
verified  with  very  little  effort,  the  exact  words  of  the  Authoress  at 
the  Archives  of  the  Visitation  convent  of  Dijon.  According  to 
Father  Vermeersch,  it  was  this  convent  in  which  the  writings  of  the 
Beata  were  kept  in  their  original  form.2 

2.  Again,  this  promise  was  known  to  the  Community.     Father 
Hamon  has  ascertained  this  fact  by  the  following  discovery.    In  the 
year  1715,  when  the  canonical  procedure,  preliminary  to  the  beati- 
fication of  Blessed  Margaret  Mary  was  commenced,  Sisters  Fran- 
cois-Rosalie Verchere  and  Peronne-Rosalie  de  Farges,  while  collect- 
ing the  writings  of  their  beloved  Mother,  were  surprised  at  this  let- 
ter, and,  as  he  expresses  it,  "some  exceptionally  privileged  souls 
without   further  delay  wished  to  avail  themselves   of   the  graces 
promised  by  the  Sacred  Heart."3 

3.  It  is  scarcely  possible  that  the  Visitation  nuns  would  have  for- 
warded to  Rome,  among  other  writings  of  Blessed  Margaret  Mary,  a 
letter  the  authenticity  of  which  could  be  seriously  questioned.     On 
the  other  hand,  it  is  certain  that  when  the  cause  of  her  beatification 
was  introduced  in  the  early  years  of  the  nineteenth  century,  a  let- 
ter of  this  character  was  produced  by  the  ecclesiastical  officials  who 
were  appointed  to  engage  in  this  cause.  It  was  translated  into  Italian, 


1  "On  connait  les  injustes  et  audacieuses  critiques  soulevees  par  son  ouvrage; 
il  semble  bien  probable — je  n'en  ai  pourtant  pas  de  preuve  certaine — que  les 
jansenistes  et  les  cathoriques  opposes  a  la  devotion  au  Sacre  Coeur  raillerent 
la  divine  et  incroyable  promesse"  (HAMON,  Etudes  Religieuses,  vol.  XCV, 
p.  857). 

*  VERMEERSCH,  Pratique  et  doctrine  de  la  Devotion  au  Sacre  Coeur,  torn. 
II,  ch.  Ill,  p.  211. 

*  "Quand  les  soeurs  commencerent  a  recuillier  les  ecrits  de  leur  maitresse 
bien-aimee,   on    fut    frappe   par    la   lettre    de    1688.     Quelques   ames    d'elite 
voulurent,  sans  plus  tarder,  s'assurer  les  graces  promises  par  le  Sacre  Coeur." 
(HAMON,  in  the  Etudes  Rel,  vol.  XCV,  p.  857.) 


134  HISTORICAL   BASIS   FOR  THE   GREAT   PROMISE 


and  Father  Thurston  adds  that  "this  certain  passage  was  underlined 
as  demanding  further  investigation  at  this  or  later  stage  of  in- 
quiry." l 

4.  Father  Hamon  believes  that  as  early  as  1714  the  Devotion  of  the 
Nine  Fridays  was  not  only  known  but  practiced  by  some  Visitandine 
Communities.     Thus  Mother  Louise-Henriette  de  Soudeilles,  and 
her  subjects  began  it  in  Jan.  1714.2 

5.  The  Sacred  Congregation  having  carefully  examined  the  writ- 
ings of  the  Beata,  and  having  found  nothing  in  their  contents  to 
warrant  a  theological  censure,3  declared  in  a  decree  dated  on  Sept. 
22,  1827 :  Nihil  obstare,  et  procedi  posse  ad  ulteriora.    Nor  did  this 
letter  of  Blessed  Margaret  Mary  in  any  way  interfere  with  her 
beatification,  the  decree  of  which  was  issued  on  the  28th  day  of  Au- 
gust in  the  year  1864. 

Those  who  deny  that  such  a  letter  was  written,  base  their  opinion 
on  the  following  arguments. 

1.  It  must  be  admitted,  they  say,  that  Bishop  Languet  did  have  ac- 
cess to  the  Memoirs  of  the  Beata.  However,  it  can  hardly  be  proved 
that  at  that  particular  juncture  all  her  writings  were  collected,  and 
placed  at  his  disposal  to  be  made  use  of  as  a  reference  for  his  biblio- 
graphy. It  is  well  known  that  she  corresponded  with  a  number  of 
persons  who  resided  at  a  great  distance  from  Paray,  while  Bishop 
Languet  seems  to  be  familiar  mostly  with  those  letters  which  were 
directed  mainly  to  the  more  prominent  persons  of  the  Visitation 
Community  at  large. 


1  THURSTON,  The  Nine  Fridays,  in  The  Mvnth,  vol.  CI,  p.  637. 

*"La  Mere  Louise  Henriette  de  Soudeilles,  superieure  du  monastere  dc 
Moulins,  commenga  le  premier  vendredi  de  Janvier  1714,  avec  toute  sa  com- 
munaute,  la  serie  des  neuf  communions.  Elle  n'eut  pas  le  temps  de  1'achever ; 
le  24  avril,  elle  mourait  dans  des  transports  d' amour."  (HAMON,  in  the 
Htudes  Rel,  vol  XCV,  p.  857.) 

"  Nihil  hisce  in  Scripturis  et  Epistolis  fuisse  repertum  theologica  censura 
notandum. 


HISTORICAL   BASIS   FOR  THE   GREAT   PROMISE  135 


2.  No  mention  of  the  Great  Promise  is  found  in  any  other  place, 
letter  or  writing,  with  the  exception  of  the  letter  she  was  supposed 
to  have  sent  to  Mother  de  Saumaise.    All  our  knowledge  regarding 
the  Devotion  of  the  Nine  Fridays  is  confined  solely  to  the  informa- 
tion contained  in  the  letter  whose  authenticity  is  questioned. 

3.  The  profuse  quotations  taken  from  the  writings  oT  Blessed 
Margaret  Mary,  interspersed  in  the  work  of  Bishop  Languet  to  por- 
tray her  character,  should  be  interpreted  as  an  argument  rather 
against  than  in  favor  of  the  defenders  of  the  Twelfth  Promise. 
On  page  241,  at  the  bottom  of  which  is  the  reference  in  question, 
two  long  quotations  can  be  found  of  which  the  upper  one  consists 
of  nineteen  lines,  and  the  lower  one  of  eleven  lines.    After  these  two 
citations  the  Bishop  gives  an  account  of  the  Great  Promise  by  al- 
luding to  it  and  interpreting  it  in  his  own  words.    Immediately  after 
this,  another  quotation  follows  which  is  taken  from  the  letter  of  the 
Beata  directed  to  Mother  Greyfier.     Over  half  of  the  384  pages, 
which  form  the  work  of  Bishop  Languet,  is  devoted  to  extracts  taken 
either  from  the  letters  of  Blessed  Margaret  Mary,  or  from  the 
answers  she  received,  or  from  her  autographic  Memoir,  or  finally 
from  writings  in  which  her  superiors  or  her  acquaintances  expressed 
their  admiration  for  her  virtues  and  holiness.     In  addition  to  the 
above  sources,  the  Vie  par  les  Contemporaines,  in  which  Sisters 
Peronne-Rosalie  de  Farges  and  Frangois-Rosalie  Verchere  relate  the 
most  important  incidents  of  her  life,  is  embodied  in  his  work  prac- 
tically in  its  entirety,  by  way  of  citations.    From  all  this  it  is  patent 
that  he  had  a  keen  appreciation  of  the  full  value  of  quotations.    To 
all  appearances,  whatever  authentic  and  autographic  decuments  of 
importance  were  in  his  possession,  he  endeavored  to  reproduce  in 
the  original.    He  reprints  thirteen  letters  of  Blessed  Margaret  Mary 
at  the  end  of  his  work,  which  she  wrote  to  Mother  de  Saumaise; 
but  the  letter  in  question  is  not  one  of  them.    Is  it  not  very  curious, 
to  say  the  least,  that  such  a  learned  and  saintly  man  did  not  attach 


136  HISTORICAL   BASIS   FOR  THE)   GREAT   PROMISE 


more  significance  to  this  letter  than  merely  to  state  its  contents  in 
his  own  narrative  way,  when  he  is  so  prodigal  in  quoting  her  words 
verbatim  in  matters  of  much  less  consequence? 

4.  Again,  had  her  writings  been  opened  to  public  inspection  up  to 
the  year  of  1789,  according  to  Father  Vermeersch,1  or  up  to  1792, 
according  to  Father  Hamon,,2  how  are  we  to  explain  the  silence  of 
those  who  were  so  zealous  in  spreading  this  devotion,  and  who  ig- 
nored no  essentail  feature  that  would  serve  to  render  it  attractive 
in  the  eyes  of  the  people  ?    On  the  other  hand,  very  few  men  would 
be  inclined  to  gainsay  the  fact  that  if  such  a  reliable  account  of  such 
a  revelation  were  traceable  to  the  pen  of  the  Beata,  this  without  fail 
would  be  considered  an  essential  and  preeminently  appealing  charac- 
teristic of  the  Devotion  to  the  Sacred  Heart.    But  as  the  case  stands, 
Fathers  de  la  Colombiere  and  Rolin  make  no  mention  of  such  a  let- 
ter.   Father  Croiset,  the  first  exponent  of  the  Devotion  to  the  Sacred 
Heart,  neither  in  his  work  of  1691,  nor  in  his  two  consequent  ampli- 
fied editions,  which  left  the  press  in  1694  and  1698,  makes  allusion 
to  such  a  promise.    These  three  priests  knew  Blessed  Margaret  Mary 
personally,  they  corresponded  with  her  and  were  well  informed  re- 
garding the  supernatural  visions  with  which  Christ  vouchsafed  to 
favor  her.     No  one  labored  more  ardently  for  the  promotion  and 
diffusion  of  this  devotion,  no  one  exerted  a  greater  effort  to  familiar- 
ize himself  with  all  its  phases  than  Father  Galliffet,  yet,  he  is  evident- 
ly ignorant  of  such  a  revelation,  for  he  fails  to  make  reference  to  it 
either  in  his  work  issued  in  1726,  or  in  its  revised  and  enlarged 
edition  1732. 

5.  Moreover,  it  is  quite  inexplicable  how  a  letter  of  such  extreme 
importance  could  escape  the  attention  of  so  many  devotees  of  the 
Sacred  Heart     It  was  not  submitted  to  print  or  circulation  before 
1867,  three  years  after  the  publication  of  the  Decree  of  Beatifica- 


1  Pratique  et  doctrine  de  la  devotion  au  Sacre  Coeur,  torn.  II,  p.  811. 
*Le  Texte  de  la  Grande  Promesse,  in  the  Etudes  Rel,  vol  XCV.  p.  857. 


HISTORICAL   BASIS   FOR  THE  GREAT   PROMISE  137 

tion.  This  admission  is  made  candidly  even  by  the  staunchest  de- 
fenders of  the  Great  Promise.1  In  the  opinion  of  Father  Bachelet 
the  first  steps  in  connection  with  the  publication  of  the  promise  were 
inspired  by  the  new  impetus  the  Devotion  to  the  Sacred  Heart  re- 
ceived in  France  about  the  year  of  1870.2 

The  above  points  summarize  most  of  the  weighty  arguments  ad- 
duced respectively  by  the  defenders  and  the  opponents  of  the 
Twelfth  Promise.  They  are  drawn  from  various  sources,  and  are 
calculated  to  shed  some  rays  of  light  on  the  question  under  considera- 
tion. The  Church  does  not  come  to  our  assistance  with  an  author- 
itative pronouncement  in  this  all-important  inquiry.  After  a  con- 
siderable investigation,  Father  Hamon  remarks  regretfully  that  there 
is  little  likelihood  of  the  letter  ever  being  found.  And  since  the  argu- 
ments fail  to  carry  conviction  as  regards  the  authenticity  of  the  let- 
ter, we  can  hardly  censure  those  spiritual  writers  who  qualify  the 
Great  Promise  as  doubtful. 

The  writer,  who  signs  himself  SACERDOS,  disposes  of  thi  ques- 
tion in  a  very  unsatisfactory  way  in  the  American  Messenger  of 
the  Sacred  Heart.  "It  is  not  our  intention,"  he  says,  "to  treat  of 
the  authenticity  of  the  promise.  We  may  say,  however,  that  it  would 
be  very  risky  to  call  this  authenticity  in  question,  since  it  is  found  in 
the  writings  of  Blessed  Margaret  Mary  which  have  passed  the 


1  THURSTON,  loc.  cit.,  vol.  CI,  p.  636  foot-note. 

2  "Dans  les  plus  anciens  manuels  de  la  devotion  au  Sacre  Coeur,  on  trouve 
onze  promesses  sous  la  forme  concise  qu'elles  ont  guardee  et  dans  1'ordre 
meme  ou  nous  les  plagons  encore.    Longtempi,  dans  la  plupart  des  feuilles, 
on  n'en  imprima  pas  d'autres.    Ce  ne  fut  que  vers  1870,  quand  la  devotion  au 
Sacre  Coeur  rec.ut  en  France  une  nouvelle  impulsion,  qu'une  dcjzieme  fut 
ajoutee."     (  BACHELET,  La  Grande  Prontesse  du  Sacre  Coeur,  Etudes  Rel., 
vol.  LXXXVIII,  p.  385). 


138  HISTORICAL   BASIS   FOR  THE   GREAT   PROMISE 


scrutiny  of  the  Roman  Congregation."1  No  comment  needs  to  be 
passed  on  this  remark.  The  difficulty  to  be  confronted  is  of  a 
more  serious  nature  than  the  writer  of  the  above  cited  article  antici- 
pated. The  Promoter  Pidei,  A.  M.  Frattini,  did  not  at  all  concern 
himself  about  the  authenticity  of  the  letter,  he  only  wished  to 
point  out  the  untenableness  of  the  belief  that  a  revelation  concern- 
ing the  gift  of  final  perseverance  was  likely  to  have  been  communi- 
cated to  Blessed  Margaret  Mary.  However,  we  shall  have  occasion 
to  recur  to  this  point  later. 


1  Ground  of  Hope,  The  American  Messenger  of  the  Sacred  Heart    1898, 
p.  156. 


CHAPTER  XII. 


CONTENTS  OF  THE  LETTER  CONTAINING  THE  GREAT  PROMISE. 


The  purpose  of  this  chapter  will  be  to  ascertain  the  contents  of 
the  letter  whose  authenticity  has  been  considered  in  the  foregoing 
pages.  This  step  is  necessary  in  order  to  form  a  clear  idea  as  to  the 
sense  its  wording  conveys. 

An  insurmountable  difficulty  confronts  us  at  the  very  outset.  It  is 
that  involved  in  the  determination  of  the  form  of  the  Twelfth 
Promise  that  is  to  be  accepted  as  the  revealed  one.  There  are  no 
less  than  four  different  formulas  from  which  we  may  make  a  selec- 
tion. The  writer  referred  to  above  1  states  that  "in  the  authentic 
life  of  Blessed  Margaret  Mary  the  promise  occurs  in  two  places." 
Then  he  gives  the  two  forms  in  French,  translates  the  first  one  into 
English  and  subjoins :  "Unfortunately  we  have  no  means  of  finding 
out  what  Blessed  Margaret  Mary  understood  by  the  promise.  She 
speaks  of  it  in  no  other  place,  it  seems,  besides  the  two  passages 
which  we  have  given  above,  and  in  neither  of  them  does  she  say 
anything  about  its  meaning."  The  description  is  very  realistic,  but 
just  as  misleading.  It  is  true  that  there  are  two  distinct  passages  in 
"Vie  et  Oeuvres  de  la  Bienheureuse  Marguerite-Marie"  in  which 
reference  is  made  to  the  Great  Promise.  This  work  was  edited  by 
the  Visitandines  and  consists  of  two  volumes.  The  first  volume  con- 
taining her  life  written  by  Les  Contemporaines,  gives  the  text  by 
way  of  citation.  In  the  second  volume,  which  contains  her  own 
writings,  the  letter  itself,  directed  to  Mother  de  Saumaise,  is 


SACERDOS,  Ground  of  Hope,  Am.  Mess,  of  the  S.  H.}  1898,  p.  156. 

139 


140  CONTENTS  OF  THE 


given  in  full.  The  writer  of  the  above  article,  therefore,  has  an 
erroneous  idea  which  will  permit  a  correction.  His  interpretation 
would  unfailingly  convey  the  notion  that  the  autobiography  of 
Blessed  Margaret  Mary  refers  to  the  Twelfth  Promise  in  two  dis- 
tinct places.  Such  a  statement  cannot  be  sustained,  for  it  is  not 
Blessed  Margaret  Mary  herself  that  speaks.  It  is  the  Contempor- 
aines  Visitandines  that  quote  her  doubtful  letter  in  the  first  volume, 
and  the  Visitandines  of  1867  and  1876  respectively  publish  the  same 
from  a  copied,  transcribed  source  in  the  second  volume.  It  is  ques- 
tionable whether  even  the  Contemporaines  Visitandines  had  the  auto- 
graph in  their  possession  since  it  was  only  a  copy  and  not  the  original 
letter  that  they  submitted  to  the  Sacred  Congregation.  This  latter 
statement  is  corroborated  indirectly  by  the  third  and  only  authentic 
edition  of  her  works  that  appeared  in  1915  through  the  solicitude  of 
Archbishop  Gauthey. 

Since  there  is  no  other  criterion  to  enable  us  to  form  a  correct 
estimate  of  the  relative  value  of  the  subsequent  remarks,  in  order  to 
judge  their  merit  intelligently,  it  is  necessary  to  acquaint  ourselves 
with  the  works  of  Blessed  Margaret  Mary.  The  investigation  will 
involve  a  somewhat  complicate  question  without  the  understanding 
of  which  it  is  impossible  to  pass  a  judgment  on  the  subject  under 
consideration. 

Blessed  Margaret  Mary  by  order  of  Mother  de  Saumaise,  her  Su- 
perior in  the  convent,  and  her  confessors,  Fathers  de  la  Colombiere 
and  Rolin,  wrote  a  Memoir  in  which  she  relates  the  principal  events 
of  her  life.  Mgr.  Bougaud  *  says  that  the  first  edition  of  this  manu- 
script of  the  Beata  was  published  by  Father  Galliffet,  who  brought 
it  out  in  conjunction  with  his  treatise  "Sur  I' Excellence  de  la  De- 
votion au  Coeur  de  Jesus-Christ!9  In  1865  the  same  manu- 
script was  reedited  by  Bather  Daniel.  Blessed  Margaret 

*Histoire  de  la  Bienheureuse  Marguerite-Marie,  ch.  I,  p.  35,  foote-note. 


CONTAINING   THE   GREAT    PROMISE  141 


Mary   corresponded    with   persons   both    religious   and   lay.      Her 
autobiography    in    the    original    is    still    extant,    and    also    many 
of  her  autographic  letters.     Some  of   her  letters   were   lost   en- 
tirely,    others     again     are     preserved     only     in     a     transcribed 
form.      In    the    year    1715    a    movement    commenced    with    epis- 
copal approbation  to  collect  juridicial  data  preliminary  to  her  beati- 
fication.    On  this  occasion   Srs.   Peronne-Rosalie  de  Farges,  and 
Francois-Rosalie  Verchere  composed  a  Memoir  under  the  title  of 
Vie  de  la  Bienheureuse  par  les  Contemporaines  in  which  they  give 
us  an  insight  into  her  convent  life.    This  manuscript  was  one  of  the 
sources  from  which  Bishop  Languet  drew  his  information  for  the 
life  of  Blessed  Margaret  Mary.1     After  his  work  was  finished  he 
returned  it  to  the  Archives  of  Paray.    The  Visitandines  undertook 
to  combine  this  latter  work  with  the  Memoir  of  the  Beata,  and  in 
1867  published  in  two  volumes  a  work  entitled  Vie  et  Oeuvres  de  la 
Bienheureuse  Marguerite  Marie.    Thus  the  above  work  is  a  com- 
bination of  two  distinct  compilations  of  manuscript  Memoirs.    The 
first  volume  confines  itself  to  the  Vie  de  la  Bienheureuse  par  les 
Contemporaines,  while  the  second  contains  the  Memoire  ecrit  par  la 
Bienheureuse,  sur  Vordre  du  Pere  Rolin,  son  directeur.     In  1876 
the  Visitandines  gave  a  second  amplified  and  revised  edition  of  the 
same  work  again  in  two  volumes.    Father  Hamon  expresses  his  dis- 
approval of  the  various  changes  and  additions  introduced  into  this 
latter  edition.     The  third  and  the  only  reliable  edition  of  all  the 
documents  appertaining  to  Blessed  Margaret  Mary  was  committed 
to  print  in  1915  of  which  we  shall  speak  more  extensivel  later. 

Through  this  short  survey  of  the  scope,  nature  and  history  of  the 
above  work  one  is  better  qualified  to  appreciate  the  arguments  of  the 
opponents  of  the  Twelfth  Promise  as  well  as  those  of  its  defenders. 
If — as  Father  Hamon  says — the  two  Sisters  who  were  collecting  her 
writings  were  astonished  to  find  such  a  letter  among  them  why  does 

,  op.  cit.,  Discours,  p.  52. 


142  CONTENTS  OF  THE) 


not  Father  GallifTet,  who  was  the  first  to  publish  her  Memoir,  make 
at  least  a  passing  reference  to  it?  Again,  if  the  Visitandines 
possessed  such  a  treasure  in  its  authentic  form,  why  did  they  hesi- 
tate for  such  a  long  time  before  they  placed  its  contents  before  the 
public?  Father  Thurston's  investigation  proves  that  the  Great 
Promise  was  not  put  in  print  before  1867.1 

On  the  other  hand  it  is  hard  to  reconcile  with  the  foregoing  state- 
ments Bishop  Languet's  reference  to  such  a  letter.  From  this  it 
would  seem  that  the  Visitandines  who  compiled  the  Vie  et  Oeuvres 
de  la  Bienheureiise  and  gave  it  to  him  to  be  used  as  a  source  for  his 
work,  either  possessed  a  letter  of  such  character,  or,  at  least,  made 
a  deposition  that  such  a  letter  had  actually  been  written.  Had  he 
been  in  possession  of  an  autographic  document  he  would  surely  have 
quoted  it,  for,  as  it  has  already  been  observed,  he  cited  many  others 
of  considerably  less  importance.  Nor  can  it  be  said  that  he  did  not 
attach  enough  weight  to  it  to  convey  its  contents  with  the  exact 
words  of  the  Beata.  A  letter  indeed  might  have  been  placed  before 
him,  but — because  it  was  only  a  transcription  of  the  one  said  to  have 
been  written  by  the  Beata — this  reason  might  have  induced  him  to 
refrain  from  quoting  it.  There  are  many  incidents  related  in  his 
work,  and  connected  with  the  life  of  Blessed  Margaret  Mary,  which 
he  draws  solely  from  the  authority  of  eye-witnesses  whose  testimony 
he  judges  to  have  been  reliable.  Could  it  not  be  supposed  that  he 
received  his  information  viva  voce,  and,  placing  an  implicit  con- 
fidence in  the  trustworthiness  and  reliability  of  his  informants,  ac- 
cepted it  as  a  fact? 

Be  that  as  it  may,  no  one  claims  to  quote  the  text  of  the  Twelfth 
Promise  according  to  a  prototype  manuscript.  Even  Father  Hamon, 
who  made  a  thorough  scrutiny  of  her  writings,  and  familiarized 
himself  with  all  the  documents  the  Visitation  Nuns  possess  bearing 


'THURSTON,  in  the  Month,  The  Nine  Fridays,  vol.  CI,  p.  636. 


CONTAINING   THE   GREAT    PROMISE  143 


on  this  subject,  does  not  draw  its  wording  from  such  a  manuscript, 
though  fully  cognizant  of  the  fact  that  it  would  corroborate  his 
position  considerably.  The  supposition  that  up  to  the  French  revolu- 
tion her  writings  were  accessible  to  the  public  does  not  help  to  solve 
the  difficulty.  How  is  one  to  infer  which  writings  were  preserved 
in  autographic  exemplars  up  to  that  time?  On  July  22nd  in  1715, 
only  58  autographic  and  39  copied  letters  were  produced  for  the 
process  of  beatification.  This  collection  of  autographs  contained  18 
letters  to  Mother  de  Soudeilles,  four  letters  to  Mother  de  Buisson, 
14  letters  to  Sr.  Felice  Madelaine  (de  la  Barge),  10  to  the  Sisters  de 
Monruant,  Ursulines  at  Paray,  and  12  to  her  brother  Chrysostom 
Alacoque.  Among  the  copies,  at  this  rate,  are  to  be  computed  the 
27  transcribed  letters  to  Mother  de  Saumaise,  one  to  Sr.  Joly,  and  11 
fragments  preserved  in  the  Memoir  of  Mother  Greyfier.  Of  all 
these  58  autographs  10  were  lost,  but  the  39  copied  letters  were  all 
preserved.  Therefore,  it  would  appear  from  the  most  authentic 
account 1  that  of  the  27  letters  written  by  Blessed  Margaret  Mary 
to  Mother  de  Saumaise,  and  presented  for  the  process  of  beatifica- 
tion on  July  22, 1715,  not  a  single  one  was  an  autograph  of  the  Beata. 
It  is  true  that  some  of  her  autographic  letters  were  discovered  since 
that  time,  but  the  letter  which  concerns  us  most  is  not  one  of  them, 
and  even  at  present  we  possess  only  three  autographs  Ojf  the  48  let- 
ters which  she  was  supposed  to  have  written  to  the  Superior  of 
Dijon,  Mother  de  Saumaise.  Two  of  these  autographs  are  pre- 
served at  the  convent  of  Nevers  and  one  at  Rennes. 

If  only  a  reproduction  or  transcription  of  this  important  letter 
was  presented  to  the  Sacred  Congregation  in  the  year  1715,  then 
the  autograph,  to  all  likelihood,  must  have  been  lost  long  before  the 
French  revolution.  This  might  explain  the  attitude  of  Bishop  Lan- 

1  Vie  et  Oeuvres  de  la  Bienheureuse  Marguerite-Marie  Alacoque,  publication 
du  monastere  de  la  visitation  de  Paray-Le-Monial,  par  les  soins  de  Monseig- 
neur  GAUTHEY,  Archeveque  de  Besangon,  Paris,  1915,  torn.  II,  pp.  207-215. 


144  CONTENTS  OF  THE 


guet  who  prefers  rather  to  narrate  its  contents  than  quote  it  ver- 
batim. What  was  it  that  brought  about  the  destruction  of  this  let- 
ter, what  circumstances  occasioned  its  disappearance,  who  can  tes- 
tify to  having  read  it  in  the  original  copy,  remain  questions  difficult 
of  satisfactory  solution. 

We  shall  now  proceed  to  compare  the  different  formulas  of  the 
letter  under  investigation.  The  first  volume  of  the  1867  and  1876 
Visitandine  editions  gives  one  rendition  of  the  promise,1  and  the 
second  volume  of  the  same  two  editions  gives  another  form.2 

The  two  renditions  are  at  variance  in  ten  different  points,  though 
the  meaning  they  convey  is  substantially  the  same.  The  fact  that 
the  Visitandines  attach  equal  value  to  both  these  forms,  for  they 
publish  both  in  the  same  work  without  any  discrimination,  shows 
that  they  themselves  entertained  a  doubt  as  to  its  exact  wording. 
Nor  do  they  intend  to  accept  the  form  handed  down  by  Les  Content- 
poraines  of  1715,  as  the  only  authentic  one. 

The  third  form  of  the  promise  is  found  in  the  work  of  Bishop 


1  "Je  te  promets,  dans  1'exces  de  la  misericorde  de  mon  Coeur,  que  son 
amour  tout-puissant  accordera  a  tous  ceux  qui  communieront  les  premiers 
vendredis,  neuf  mois  de  suite,  la  grace  de  la  penitence  finale,  qu'ils  ne  mour- 
ront  point  dans  ma  disgrace,  ni  sans   recevoir  leur  sacrements,  et  qu'il  se 
rendra  leur  asile  assure  a  cette  heure  derniere."  (Vie  et  Oeuv.  ed.  1867,  vol.  I, 
p.  291;  again,  ed.  1876,  vol.  I,  p.  318.) 

. 

2  "Je  te  promets  dans  1'excessive  misericorde  de  mon  Coeur,  que  son  amour 

tout  puissant  accordera  a  tous  ceux  qui  communieront  neuf  premiers  ven- 
dredis du  mois,  tout  de  suite,  la  grace  finale  de  la  penitence;  qu'ils  ne  mour- 
ront  point  en  sa  disgrace  ni  sans  recevoir  les  sacrements,  mon  divin  Coeur 
se  rendant  leur  asile  assure  en  ce  dernier  moment."  (Vie  et  Oeuvres,  vol.  II, 
ed.  1867,  p.  159;  again,  ed.  1876,  vol.  II,  p.  196). 


CONTAINING   THE   GREAT    PROMISE  145 

Languet.1  This  is  not  a  quotation  of  the  original  promise,  but  only 
an  interpretation  of  it  given  by  the  author.  However,  in  substance 
it  agrees  with  the  foregoing.  It  prescribes  the  performance  of  the 
same  number  and  nature  of  spiritual  exercises.  It  specifies  the  same 
time,  at  which  they  are  to  take  place,  but  the  reward  is  not  to  be  ex- 
pected with  the  same  absolute  assurance,  as  expressed  by  the  above 
two  forms.  For  after  one  has  complied  with  the  required  condi- 
tions he  may  entertain  a  hope  of  receiving  the  sacraments  of  the 
Church  and  the  grace  of  final  repentance  before  dying.2 

The  fourth  version  of  the  Twelfth  Promise  is  found  in  a  manu- 
script discovered  by  Father  Hamon  in  1902  in  the  library  of  Joseph 
Dechelette.  This  form,  in  his  estimation,  is  the  nearest  approach  to 
the  original.  However,  he  fears  that  in  his  decision  he  might  have 
been  unconsciously  actuated  by  the  self-love  of  a  fortunate  investi- 
gator.3 The  difference  between  this  and  the  one  taken  from  the  first 
volume  of  the  Vie  et  Oeuvres  de  la  Bienheureuse  Marguerite-Marie, 
ed.  1867,  p.  291,  is  insignificant.  Still,  for  the  sake  of  comparison 


*"Dans  line  autre  Lettre  elle  prescrit  une  pratique  pour  honorer  le  Coeur 
de  Jesus-Christ;  pratique  qui  lui  etoit  familiere,  et  que  notre  Seigneur  lui 
avoit  suggeree,  en  lui  faisant  esperer  la  grace  de  la  penitence  finale,  et  celle 
de  recevoir  les  Sacramens  de  1'Eglise  avant  que  de  mourir,  pour  ceux  qui 
1'observeroient.  C'etoit  de  faire  une  neuvaine  de  Communion  a  cette  intention 
et  pour  honorer  le  Coeur  de  Jesus-Christ ;  en  plac,ant  chacune  de  ces  Com- 
munions a  chaque  premier  vendredi  du  mois,  pendant  neuf  mois  de  suite." 
(La  Vie  de  la  Venerable  Mere  Marguerite-Marie,  Paris,  1729,  books  VII,  pp. 
241-242). 

2  "En  lui  faisant  esperer  la  grace  de  la  penitence  finale  et  celle  de  recevoir 
les  sacremens  de  TEglise  avant  que  de  mourir." 

8  "Elle  me  parait,  de  toutes  celles  que  je  connais,  la  plus  voisine  de  1'auto- 
graphe.  Toutefois,  il  pourrait  se  glisser  dans  mon  appreciation  un  peu  de 
1'egoisme  inconscient  du  chercheur  heureux."  (HAMON,  Etudes  ReL>  La 
Grande  Protnesse  du  Sacre  Coeur,  vol.  XCV,  p.  855.) 


146  CONTENTS  OF  THE  LETTER 


it  will  be  advisable  to  reproduce  it  in  its  entirety.  1 

The  same  author  refers  to  a  fifth  version  which  he  does  not  quote, 
but  claims  that  in  a  fragmentary  form  it  can  be  verified  in  the  An- 
nales  du  Monastere  de  Dijon,2 

This  will  suffice  as  to  the  different  versions  of  the  Twelfth 
Promise.  From  their  comparison  it  is  manifest  that  they  are  not  al- 
together uniform,  nor  do  they  differ  substantially.  They  all  promise 
the  grace  of  final  repentance  and  the  last  Sacraments.  An  important 
distinction,  however,  is  not  to  be  lost  sight  of.  While  three  of  the 
forms  give  an  absolute  assurance  of  the  above  reward,  Bishop 
Languet's  formula  premises  it  with  the  words :  Hn  lui  faisant  esperer 
which  may  be  rendered  into  English :  And  leading  her  to  hope,  i.  e., 
for  the  above  graces. 

It  is  hardly  possible  to  determine  which  of  these  forms,  if  any,  is 
identical  with  the  original.  The  investigation  of  Father  Hamon 
makes  the  matter  only  more  complicated  and  the  solution  of  the 
difficulty  more  hopeless.  He  points  out 8  that  the  Vie  de  la  Bienheur- 
cuse  par  les  Contemporaines  on  which  Bishop  Languet  founded  most 
of  his  statements  and  from  which  he  quoted  many  of  her  letters  is 
full  of  citations  not  corresponding  faithfully  to  the  original  auto- 
graphic writings  of  the  Beata.  Hence  he  infers  logically  that  Bishop 
Languet's  life  is  not  reliable  in  all  its  particulars.  He  pronounces 


1  "Et  un  jour  de  vendredi,  pendant  la  sainte  communion,  il  fut  dit  ces 
paroles  a  son  indigne  esclave,  si  elle  ne  se  trompe:  Je  te  promets,  dans 
1'excessive  misericorde  de  mon  Coeur,  que  son  amour  tout-puissant  accordera 
a  tous  ceux  qui  communieront  neuf  premiers  vendredis  des  mois  de  suite  la 
grace  de  la  penitence  finale,  ne  mourront  point  en  sa  disgrace,  ni  sans  recevoir 
leurs  sacrements  (  ,)  se  rendant  leur  asile  assure  en  ce  dernier  moment." 
(HAMON,  in  the  Etudes  Rel,  vol  XCV,  p.  856.) 

1  In  the  Etudes  Rel,  vol.  XCV,  p.  854  note. 

*  In  the  Etudes  Rel.,  Les  Vies  de  la  Bienheureuse  Marguerite-Marie  Alaco- 
que,  vol.  XCI,  p.  720  sq. 


CONTAINING   THE   GREAT    PROMISE  147 

the  same  criticism  on  the  works  of  Father  Croiset.1  He  admits  that 
the  works  of  Fathers  Daniel  and  Bougaud  were  composed  according 
to  the  modern  methods  of  hagiography  but  does  not  refrain  from 
pointing  out  a  number  of  inexact  quotations  in  them.2  Yet,  all  these 
writers  claim  to  have  consulted  the  original  documents.  The  ex- 
planation for  all  this  can  be  found  in  the  subsequent  statements  of 
the  Visitandines.  They  admit  that  many  modifications  were  intro- 
duced in  the  edition  of  the  Vie  par  les  Contemporaines.^  Thus  they 
have  interpolated  certain  documents  whose  addition  they  considered 
necessary  to  complete  the  work.  In  this  connection  we  can  sympa- 
thize with  Father  Hamon,  who,  after  having  perused  these  intro- 
duced changes,  censures  them  for  their  action  and  disapprovingly 
remarks  that  they  ask  too  much  indulgence  when  they  attempt  to 
characterize  these  alterations  by  the  appellation  quelques  ameliora- 
tions de  style* 

Yet,  these  interpolated  documents  were  consulted  by  all  the  au- 
thors who  wrote  on  the  question  which  we  are  consider- 
ing. Father  Hamon  passes  an  unfavorable  judgment  also  on  the 
Memoir  as  edited  by  Father  Galliffet.  He  contends  that  in  spite  of 
the  fact  that  five  Sisters  of  Paray  confirmed  it  by  their  signature, 


1  "L,e  Pere  Croiset  et  Mgr  Languet  ne  se  montrent  pas  suffisamment  his- 
toriens;  il  veulent  surtout  edifier."  (Loc.  cit.,  pp.  723  and  724.) 

*  Loc.  cit.,  pp.  729  ff . 

8  "Quant  aux  documents  fournis  par  les  Meres  Greyfie  et  de  Saumaise,  les 
Contemporaines  en  avaient  omis  quelques  fragments,  pour  des  raisons  qui 
n'existent  aujourd'hui.  Nous  les  avons  intercales  a  leur  place  pour  que 
1'oeuvre  fut  entiere.  Nous  avons  de  meme  intercale  en  leur  lieu  de  precieux 
fragments  trouves  dans  nos  archives,  et  appartenant  a  1'epopque  des  Con- 
temporaines." (Vie  et  Oeuvres  de  la  Bienheureuse  Marguerite-Marie,  vol.  I, 
p.  21). 

4  "A  mon  humble  avis  il  cut  mieux  valu  publier  le  texte  sans  y  rien  modifier, 
et  mettre  corrections  et  changements  en  note.  C'est  toutefois  montrer  beau- 
coup  d'indulgences  que  de  les  appeler  "quelques  ameliorations  de  style." 
(HAMON,  loc.  cit.,  vol.  XCI,  p.  732,  foot-note.) 


148  CONTENTS  OF  THE  LETTER 

notwithstanding  the  title  page  bearing  the  words  Copie  fidele,  the 
edition  contains  many  inexcusable  errors.1 

From  the  foregoing  statements  one  would  be  inclined  to  think 
that  in  the  course  of  our  infestigation  we  have  strayed  into  a  laby- 
rinth without  having  a  clue  to  find  our  way  out.  No  authors  up  to 
the  present  have  been  exact  in  their  quotations  taken  either  from  the 
Memoir  of  the  Beata,  or  the  Vie  et  Oeuvres  par  les  Contemporaines. 
Even  the  official  edition  of  the  Visitandines  printed  in  1867  and  1876, 
cannot  be  trusted  in  every  particular  on  account  of  the  additions  of 
certain  supplements  which,  as  they  say,  were  taken  from  ancient 
manuscripts  copied  from  the  original,  and  preserved  either  at  the 
Visitation  convent  of  Paray,  or  at  the  hospital  of  the  same  village, 
or  in  other  religious  houses,  the  autographs  having  disappeared.2 
Father  Hamon  may,  therefore,  legitimately  draw  the  inference  that 
in  the  second  volume  of  the  Vie  et  Oeuvres  de  la  Bienheureuse 
Marguerite-Marie  which  contains  her  letters  and  Memoirs  only 
those  writings  are  to  be  considered  authentic  of  which  the  autograph 
is  extant.3 

The  regrettable  fact  that  such  liberty  was  taken  with  the  works 
of  Blessed  Margaret  Mary  tends  to  confirm  the  opinion  entertained 
by  some  that  the  text  of  the  letter  in  question  cannot  be  trusted. 
If  even  the  two  Visitandines  who  composed  her  first  life  by  using 
her  own  writings,  cannot  be  believed ;  if  they  eliminated  certain  ex- 
pressions and  supplanted  them  with  others ;  if  neither  the  text  of 
Fathers  Croiset,  Languet,  Galliffet,  Daniel  and  Bougaud  can  be  trust- 


1  HAMON,  loc.  cit.,  p.  731,  foot-note. 

J"Un  certain  nombre  de  lettres  et  d'avis  sont  "tires  d'  anciens  manuscrits 
copies  sur  les  originaux  et  conserves  soit  a  la  Visitation  de  Paray,  soit  a 
Vhospice  de  la  meme  ville,  soit  en  d'autres  maisons  religieuses"  les  autographes 
ont  disparu."  (HAMON,  in  the  Etudes  Rel,  vol.  XCI,  pp.  733-734). 

*"Dans  ce  volume  meme,  on  ne  doit  pourtant  considerer  comme,  entiere- 
ment  authentiques  que  les  seuls  ecrits  dont  nous  possedons  encore  les  auto- 
graphes." (HAMON,  loc.  cit.,  p.  742). 


CONTAINING  THE)  GREAT  PROMISE  149 

ed,  for  they  have  all  alike  taken  liberties  when  they  quoted  the  Beata, 
can  we  for  a  moment  imagine  that  the  wording  of  the  letter  con- 
taining the  Twelfth  Promise  remained  intact?  Father  Hamon  ad- 
mits that  the  letter  as  cited  is  not  the  composition  of  the  Beata  word 
for  word,  but  assures  us  that  to  the  best  of  his  knowledge  no  essen- 
tial idea  or  clear  fact  underwent  a  modification  in  it,  nor  was  there 
added  anything  to  the  primitive  text.  Communion  for  nine  First 
Fridays  of  the  month,  the  grace  of  final  repentance,  not  dying  with- 
out the  reception  of  their  Sacraments,  practices  so  definite  and  a 
promise  so  solemn  cannot  be  interpolations.1 

Another  serious  objection  which  the  defenders  of  the  Great 
Promise  find  very  hard  to  answer  satisfactorily  is  the  fact  that  it  was 
not  published  till  1867,  according  to  Father  Thurston,2  or  till  1870 
according  to  Father  Bachelet.3  Up  to  that  time  all  leaflets  contained 
only  eleven  promises  in  the  order  in  which  they  are  placed  nowadays. 
The  Twelfth  Promise  was  added  around  the  year  when  the  Devotion 
to  the  Sacred  Heart  received  a  new  impetus  in  France.* 

Nor  are  the  Visitandines  in  possession  of  a  record  to  prove  that 
any  persons  practised  it,  with  the  possible  exception  mentioned  by 
Father  Hamon.  He  states  a  fact  for  which  he  fails  to  give  his  au- 
thority. On  the  first  Friday  of  Jan.  1714,  Mother  Louise-Henriette 
de  Soudeilles,  with  her  whole  community,  engaged  in  making  the 


1  "Quand  on  transcrivit  les  ecrits  de  la  Bienheureuse,  souvent  on  les 
abregea  pour  des  raisons  que  je  n'ai  pas  a  donner  ici,  souvent  on  les  corrigea 
pour  supprimer  des  fautes  de  frangais,  qui  n'en  etaient,  pas  toujours,  ou  les 
accommoder  au  gout  des  delicats,  qui  n'etait  pas  toujours  le  bon  gout;  jamais, 
au  moins  a  ma  connaissance,  on  n'a  modifie  ni  une  idee  essentielle,  ni  un  fait 
bient  net;  jamais  on  n'a  rien  ajoute  au  texte  primittf.  Communion  des  neuf 
premiers  vendredis  du  mois;  grace  finale  de  la  penitence;  mourir  sans  re- 
cevoir  leur  sacraments,  des  pratiques  si  precises,  une  aussi  solennelle  promesse, 
ne  peuvent  etre  des  interpolations."  (HAMON,  in  the  Etudes  Rel.,  vol.  XCV, 
p.  855). 

"THURSTON,  The  Month,  The  Nine  Fridays,  vol.  CI,  p.  636,  foot-note. 

*  Etudes  Rel,  vol.  LXXXVIII,  p.  386. 

4  "Dans  les  plus  anciens  manuels  de  la  devotion  au  Sacre  Coeur,  on  trouve 
onze  promesses  sous  la  forme  concise  qu'elles  ont  guardee  et  dans  1'ordre 
meme  ou  nous  les  plagons  encore.  Longtemps,  dans  la  plupart  des  feuilles, 
on  n'en  imprima  pas  d'autres.  Ce  ne  fut  que  vers  1870,  quand  la  devotion 
au  Sacre  Coeur  recut  en  France  une  nouvelle  impulsion,  qu'une  douzieme 
fut  ajoutee."  (BACHELET,  Etudes  Rel.,  vol.  LXXXVIII,  pp.  385-386). 


150  CONTENTS  OF  THE  LETTER 


nine  Fridays  but  did  not  complete  them,  having  passed  away  on  the 
24th  of  April  of  the  same  year.1 

Again  the  same  author  says  that  when  the  two  Sisters,  Frangoise- 
Rosalie  Verchere  and  Peronne  Rosalie  de  Farges,  commenced  the 
collection  of  the  writings  of  the  Beata  for  the  canonical  procedure 
of  her  beatification,  they  were  surprised  to  find  such  a  promise.  As 
it  has  already  been  pointed  out  they  submitted  only  a  transcription  of 
the  supposed  original  letter  to  the  Sacred  Congregation.  Hence,  it 
may  be  concluded  with  safety  that  the  autograph  was  not  accessible 
to  them.  Furthermore,  they  were  the  best  friends  of  the  Beata,  and 
yet  knew  nothing  of  the  promise,  for  in  case  of  the  contrary  supposi- 
tion their  surprise  would  be  entirely  out  of  place.  Therefore,  since 
Blessed  Margaret  died  in  1690,  for  34  years  nobody  knew  anything 
about  the  promise  except  Mother  de  Saumaise,  provided  it  be  ad- 
mitted that  the  letter  was  actually  written  to  her,  and  the  community 
of  Moulins,  presupposing  that  Father  Hamon  drew  his  information 
from  a  reliable  source.  Yet  the  revelation  narrated  in  this  letter 
was  of  such  character  that  the  pious  Superior  of  Dijon  could  hardly 
have  refrained  from  publishing  it  among  the  different  Communities 
especially  after  she  herself  had  become  a  sincere  devotee  of  the  Devo- 
tion to  the  Sacred  Heart.  Is  it  not  strange  that  she  should  ignore  the 
contents  of  the  letter  of  which  she  was  the  recipient,  and  the  Com- 
munity at  Moulins,  of  which  Mother  de  Soudeilles  was  the  Superior, 
should  put  it  in  practice  for  the  first  time  ? 

Again,  it  is  well  known  that  Blessed  Margaret  Mary  in  her  zeal- 
ous endeavor  to  win  her  companions  as  well  as  persons  living  in  the 
world  to  the  Devotion  of  the  Sacred  Heart,  used  every  legitimate 
means  to  accomplish  her  design.  Yet,  her  writings  do  not  contain 
a  single  exhortation  to  practise  the  nine  Fridays.  It  would  seem  that 

5  "La  Mere  Louise-Henriettee  de  Soudeilles,  commenga  le  premier  vendredi 
de  Janvier  1714,  avec  toute  so  communaute,  la  seiie  des  neuf  communions. 
Elle  n'eut  pas  le  temps  de  1'achever :  le  24  avril  elle  mourrait  dans  des  trans- 
ports d'amour."  (HAMON,  in  the  Etudes  Rel,  vol.  XCV,  p.  857). 


CONTAINING   THE   GREAT    PROMISE  151 


the  holy  religious  did  not  attach  a  particular  importanc  to  the  Great 
Promise,  or  did  not  consider  it  apart  from  the  other  manifestations 
concerning  the  First  Fridays  on  which  Christ  was  asking  a  special 
reparation.  We  find  her  exhorting  her  followers  to  a  special  worship 
of  the  Sacred  Heart  on  First  Fridays,  Confession  and  Holy  Com- 
munion being  insisted  upon  in  particular.1  Even  Father  Thurston 
admits  that  "Blessed  Margaret  Mary  does  not  appear  to  have  at- 
tached any  exceptional  significance  or  importance"  to  this  singular 
revelation.2 

It  goes  without  saying  that  after  the  Great  Promise  has  once  been 
printed,  and  diffused  among  the  different  nations  of  the  world  in 
their  several  vernaculars,  it  (enjoyed  a  considerable  popularity. 
There  is  nothing  that  men  of  Christian  faith  dread  more  than  the 
uncertainty  of  salvation.  This  tormenting  doubt  they  considered 
settled  with  moral  certainty  when  the  text  of  the  Twelfth  Promise 
came  to  their  notice.  What  is  more,  ecclesiastics  of  note  were  not 
wanting  who  confirmed  their  opinion  even  from  the  pulpit.  Nothing 
more  natural,  therefore,  than  to  embrace  such  a  devotion.  We  shall 
have  occasion  to  speak  on  this  point  more  fully  in  the  following 
chapter. 


1  Vie  et  Oeuvres,  ed.  1867,  vol.  II,  pp.  90,  132,  237,  etc. 
'THURSTON,  in  the  Month,  vol.,  CI,  p.  627. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 


INTERPRETATION  OF  THE)  TEXT  OF  THE  GREAT  PROMISE. 


The  Great  Promise,  as  it  has  already  been  pointed  out,  is  couched 
in  different  forms.  Since  the  purpose  of  this  chapter  is  to  submit  it 
to  interpretation  we  shall  be  obliged  to  select  one  of  its  versions. 

The  formula  of  Bishop  Languet  not  being  a  quotation  has  never 
been  taken  as  a  model  for  such.  The  other  three  renditions  of  the 
Twelfth  Promise  have  equal  value.  For  the  time  being  we  shall 
give  preference  to  the  text  which  is  found  in  the  second  volume  of 
Vie  et  Oeuvres  de  la  Bienheureuse  Marguerite-Marie  published  by 
the  Visitandines  of  Paray  in  1876,  p.  196.  It  runs  thus:  One  day 
on  a  Friday,  during  Holy  Comunion  He  said  these  words  to  Hi£ 
unworthy  slave  (servant),  if  she  be  not  mistaken:  I  promise  thee} 
in  the  excessive  mercy  of  my  Heart,  that  Its  all  powerful  love  will 
give  the  grace  of  final  repentance  to  all  those  who  communicate  nine 
successive  First  Fridays  of  the  month;  they  will  not  die  in  Its  dis- 
pleasure, nor  without  receiving  their  Sacraments,  My  divine  Heart 
rendering  Itself  their  assured  refuge  in  that  last  moment^  The 
first  difficulty  presenting  itself  is  the  expression  of  doubt :  Si  elle  ne 
se  trompe  (If  she  be  not  mistaken) .  A  passage  found  in  the  Memoir 
of  Mother  Greyf fie  sheds  a  sufficient  light  on  this  point  to  explain  it 

1Un  jour  de  vendredi,  pendant  la  sainte  Communion,  il  dit  ces  paroles,  a 
son  indigne  esclave,  si  elle  ne  se  trompe:  Je  te  promets,  dans  1'excessive 
misericorde  de  mon  Coeur,  que  son  amour  tout-puissant  accordera  a  tous 
ceux  qui  communieront  neuf  premiers  vendredis  du  mois,  tout  de  suite,  la 
grace  finale  de  la  penitence;  ils  ne  mourront  point  en  sa  disgrace,  ni  sans 
recevoir  leur  sacrements,  mon  divin  Coeur  se  rendant  leur  asile  assure  en  ce 
dernier  moment." 

152 


INTERPRETION  OF  THE  TEXT  OF  THE  GREAT  PROMISE  153 

satisfactorily.  This  Superior  advises  the  Beata  that  in  connection 
with  her  supernatural  visions,  for  the  sake  of  humility,  she  should 
make  frequent  use  of  terms  expressive  of  doubt  as,  e.  g.,  It  seems 
to  me,  or  //  /  am  not  mistaken.  It  can  be  presumed  that  Blessed 
Margaret  Mary  in  this  particular  instance  acted  in  conformity  with 
the  above  suggestion.  She  was,  furthermore,  instructed  even  to  dis- 
claim the  revelation  in  case  her  Superiors,  or  those  who  have  a  right 
to  investigate  it,  pronounce  against  it.1  A  perusal  of  her  writings 
will  disclose  that  she  used  the  above  expression  with  frequency. 
In  this  connection  it  will  be  well  to  note  a  very  appropriate  remark 
of  Father  Thurston :  "We  do  not  invariably  find  this  note  of  doubt 
in  the  saint's  description  of  her  supernatural  experiences,  especially 
when  we  are  dealing  with  her  autograph."2  Moreover,  the  advice 
of  Mother  Greyfie  also  complicates  matters  to  some  extent.  It  is 
conceded  that  the  saints  did  not  always  comprehend  all  their  super- 
natural visions  with  clarity.  Hence,  in  case  they  wished  to  commit 
them  to  writing,  unless  convinced  of  their  real  signification,  they 
couched  them  in  words  expressing  an  ambiguity.  But  as  it  is,  we  are 
at  a  loss  to  determine  now  whether  Blessed  Margaret  Mary  premises 
the  dubitative  terms  in  obedience  to  Mother  Greyfie's  counsel,  or  be- 
cause she  failed  to  have  a  perspicuous  comprehension  of  the  full 
scope  and  meaning  of  the  revelation. 

2.  It  is  clear  that  in  order  to  gain  the  reward  of  the  Great  Promise 
Holy  Communion  must  be  received  the  First  Friday  of  every  month, 
for  a  period  of  nine  consecutive  months.  No  warrant  can  be  found 
in  the  writings  of  the  Beata  justfying  the  supposition  of  some  spirit- 


1  "Je  lui  disais  pourtant  de  ne  point  parler  des  graces  extraprdinaires  qu'elle 
recevait  qu'en  termes  douteux,  comme,  il  me  semble,  ou,  si  je  ne  me  trompe, 
et  de  ne  s'y  point  fier  avec  tant  de  f ermete  qu'elle  ne  fut  prete  a  s'en  departir, 
sous  le  jugement  des  personnes  qui  lui  seraient  superieures  ou  qui  auraient 
droit  d'en  faire  1'examen.  Elle  m'a  paru  toujours  tres  fidele  a  cet  avis." 
(Vie  et  Oeuvres  de  la  Bienheureuse  Marguerite-Marie,  ed.  1915,  torn.  I,  p. 
175). 

3  THURSTON,  in  the  Month,  vol.  CI,  p.  637. 


154  INTERPRETATION  OF  THE  TEXT 


ual  writers  that  in  case  one  of  the  Fridays  happens  to  be  Good  Fri- 
day it  will  suffice  to  prolong  the  devotion  by  one  month.  It  is  only 
a  modern,  private  conjectural  interpretation  on  which  the  Church, 
up  to  the  present,  has  failed  to  take  a  definite  official  stand.  There- 
fore, the  devotional  manuals  are  to  be  reprehended  when,  without 
an  adequate  warrant,  they  state  with  certainty  that  the  intervening 
Good  Friday  does  not  break  the  chain  of  the  requisite  nine  First  Fri- 
day Communions.1  Until  an  official  pronouncement  is  made  on  this 
matter  we  cannot  urge  strongly  enough  the  acceptance  of  the  inter- 
pretation that  in  case  the  succession  of  the  First  Fridays  has  been 
interrupted,  even  by  circumstances  over  which  the  communicant  had 
no  control,  the  devotion  must  be  recommenced. 

3.  There  are  two  things  to  be  noted  in  connection  with  the  reward 
which  is  to  accrue  to  the  communicant  from  the  reception  of  the 
nine  Holy  Communions,  viz.,  (1)  la  grace  de  la  penitence  finale; 
(2)  les  Sacrements.  In  one  version  we  read  la  grace  finale  de  la 
penitence,  and  in  another  la  grace  de  la  penitence  finale.  Since  it 
is  evident  that  these  two  references  to  this  particular  grace  intend 
to  convey  the  same  meaning  it  may  justly  be  concluded  that  all 
the  forms  of  the  Great  Promise  concur  in  assuring  the 
grace  of  final  repentance.  To  the  word  penitence  the  meaning 
of  repentance  was  attached  in  the  time  of  Blessed  Mar- 
garet Mary.  The  qualifying  adjective  finale  specifies  the  time 
at  which  this  special  grace  is  to  be  expected.  The  death- 
bed repentance  in  French  is  la  penitence  au  lit  de  la  mart.  Fa- 
ther de  la  Colombiere  in  his  sermon  entitled  Sur  la  penitence  differee 
a  la  mort  gives  an  excellent  example  of  the  use  of  the  French  word 


1  Cattchisme  de  la  devotion  au  Sacre  Coeur,  par  un  pretre  Oblat  de  Marie 
Immaculee,  Paris,  1902,  p.  257.  Again,  Tresor  Spirituel  de  la  Devotion  au 
Sacre  Coeur  de  Jesus,  Chapelain  de  Montmartre,  vol.  I,  p.  218. 


OF  THE  GREAT  PROMISE  155 

la  penitence.  The  interpreters  lay  great  stress  on  this  part  of  the 
reward,  the  sacraments  not  being  absolutely  necessary,  since  Christ, 
if  He  so  desire,  can  render  a  soul  with  such  a  special  grace  a  pleasing 
object  in  His  sight  irrespective  of  whether  it  had  previously  received 
the  last  sacraments  or  not.  Therefore,  since  the  grace  of  final  re- 
pentance irrevocably  decides  the  fate  of  the  soul  which  hie  et  nunc 
is  on  the  verge  of  embarking  for  eternity,  the  signification  of  the 
promise  will  resolve  itself  principally  into  the  interpretation  attribut- 
ed to  the  first  reward. 

Ecclesiastics,  conversant  with  the  various  phases  of  the  Devotion 
to  the  Sacred  Heart,  suggest  three  leading  interpretations  to  be  at- 
tributed to  this  grace.  We  shall  present  a  brief  treatment  of  each 
opinion  individually. 

A.  Father  Ramiere,  for  a  long  time  the  official  head  of  the  League 
of  the  Sacred  Heart,  represents  no  small  circle  of  followers.  In  his 
estimation  Christ  promises  a  guarantee  of  only  a  little  more  than  the 
ordinary  help  at  the  hour  of  death  to  the  compliant  with  the  pre- 
scribed conditions.  He  affords  us  reasonable  grounds  of  expecta- 
tion that  He  will  be  with  the  dying  in  a  special  manner  at  that  mo- 
mentous hour  upon  which  his  eternity  depends.  He  extends  the 
hope  of  a  particular  grace,  but  gives  no  assurance  concerning  the  co- 
operation with  it.  He  promises  also  to  give  a  special  opportunity  of 
receiving  the  sacraments  one  may  stand  in  need  of.  Summarizing 
all  the  foregoing:  "He  holds  out  the  certainty  of  extraordinary 
favors  at  the  hour  of  death  but  gives  no  certainty  of  final  repent- 


1  Ground  of  Hope,  American  Messenger  of  the  Sacred  Heart,  year  189S, 
p.  157. 


156  INTERPRETATION  OF  THE  TEXT 


ance."1 

B.  Father  Bachelet  interprets  it  somewhat  differently.  In  his  be- 
lief it  ought  to  be  analogous  to  the  Scapular  Promise.  Pere  Theo- 
phile  Raynaud  2  states  that  the  promises  attached  to  the  Scapular 
will  be  verified  infallibly  provided  the  wearer  complies  with  two 
kinds  of  conditions,  viz.,  the  common  and  the  particular  conditions. 
The  former  comprise  the  observances  prescribed  for  the  faithful 
in  general,  while  the  latter  are  limited  to  those  required  of  the  mem- 
bers of  the  Confraternity  in  particular.  Basing  his  opinion  on  this 
explanation,  Father  Bachelet  avers  that  one  may  expect  the  realiza- 
tion of  the  Great  Promise  only  after  having  complied  with  the  re- 
quirements of  the  ordinary  means  of  salvation  as  well  as  with  those 

of  the  Nine  Fridays'   Devotion.     In  his   estimation  the  Twelfth 

- 
Promise  has  no  more  force  than  the  words  of  the  Sacred  Scripture, 

viz.,  "he  that  eateth  my  flesh  and  drinketh  my  blood  hath  everlast- 
ing life ;"  3  or,  "he  that  eateth  (that  bread),  and  drinketh  (the  blood) 
unworthily,  eateth  and  drinketh  judgment  to  himself ;"  4  or  again, 
"for  we  are  saved  by  hope ;"  5  or,  finally  "for  alms  delivereth  from 
death  and  the  same  is  that  which  purgeth  away  sins,  and  maketh  to 
find  mercy  and  life  everlasting."  6 

Just  as  only  one  healthy  organ  does  not  spell  the  general  health  of 
the  body,  so  one  of  these  means  taken  separately  cannot  be  the  whole 
cause  of  salvation.  These  conditions  are  to  be  viewed  in  the  light 
that  each  of  them  individually  is  a  partial  contributor  towards  our 
last  end,  and  collectively  would  actually  bring  it  about.  The  same 


1  SACSRDOS,  Amer.  Mess,  of  the  Sacred  Heart,  year  1898,  p.  157. 

2  Summa  Aurea,  vol.  V,  col.  502. 
•John  VI,  55. 

4 1.  Cor.  XI,  29. 
6  Rom.  VIII,  24. 
6  Tobias,  XII.  9. 


OF  THE  GREAT   PROMISE  157 


opinion  is  advocated  by  Bellarmine.1  Father  Bachelet  justifies  his 
interpretation  by  the  words  of  Benedict  XIV  concerning  the  efficacy 
of  the  Scapular  Promise.  No  person  will  escape  eternal  punishment 
by  the  mere  fact  that  he  wears  the  Scapular,  if  during  his  life  he  was 
guilty  of  sinful  excesses.  No  person  will  be  saved  by  the  mere  fact 
that  he  wears  a  Scapular  without  having  performed  other  meritor- 
ious works  to  deserve  such  a  reward.  Eternal  salvation  presupposes 
good  acts  and  perseverance  in  such  acts.2  That  such  was  the  belief 
Blessed  Simon  himself  entertained  is  evident  from  his  own  words : 
"My  Brethren,  endeavor  to  assure  your  salvation  by  the  perform- 
ance of  good  works.'3 

C.  Father  Vermeersch  is  the  staunchest  advocate  of  a  third  mode 
of  interpretation.  According  to  his  judgment  no  analogy  can  be  es- 
tablished between  the  reward  which  the  Sacred  Scripture  attaches 
to  various  acts  individually,  and  the  reward  guaranteed  by  the 
Great  Promise.  The  Sacred  Scripture,  he  argues,  reveals  to  us  the 
ordinary  economy  of  salvation.  It  is  to  be  considered  as  a  composite 
consisting  of  different  parts  of  which  each  contributes  its  share 
towards  the  integration  of  the  whole.  Hence,  one  passage  helps  to 
explain  the  others.  Therefore,  a  special  recommendation  of  a  certain 


1  "Saepenumero  scriptura  divina  tribuit  vim  justificandi,  aut  etiam  salvandi, 
diversis  rebus.  .  .  .  neque  tamen  ullus  est,  qui  inde  colligat,  solum  timorem, 
aut  solam  spem,  aut  solam  ellemosynam,  aut  solum  verbum  sine  fide  et 
dilectione,  aliisque  ad  eundem  finem  requisitis,  sufficere  posse  ad  salutem.  Sic 
igitur  etiamsi  detestationi  peccatorum  et  orationi  alicubi  Scriptura  iustifi- 
cationem  tribueret;  non  tamen  colligere  opporteret,  sola  ilia  sufficere,  sed  ilia 
quidem  vim  suam  habere  et  plane  iustificare  si  cetera  non  desint."  (BEi/LAR- 
MINE,  Opera  Omnia,  torn.  Ill,  tract  de  Poenitentia,  lib.  II,  c.  VII,  p.  644). 

1  "Aussi,  dit  Benoit  XIV,  dans  la  revelation  du  Bienheureux  Simon,  on  ne 
lit  pas  que  celui  qui  a  porte  le  scapulaire  sera  par  cela  meme,  et  par  cela  seul, 
preserve  du  feu  eternel,  sans  qu'il  ait  jamais  fait  autre  chose.  II  faut  de- 
bonnes  oeuvres,  pour  le  salut  eternel,  et  il  faut  la  perseverance  dans  le  bien." 
(BACHELET,  Etudes  ReL,  vol.  LXXXVIII,  p.  390). 

'  "Mes  freres,  dit  saint  Simon  Stock  avec  Papotre  saint  Paul,  efforcez-vous 
d'assurer  votre  vocation  par  la  pratique  des  bonnes  oeuvres."  (SERAPION  a 
S.  ANDREA,  Scapulierbuchlein  der  Karmeliterbruderschaft,  Graz.,  1869;  ibid., 
BACHELET,  vol.  LXXXVIII,  p.  390,  and  BERINGER,  p.  197). 


158  INTERPRETATION  OF  THE  TEXT 


good  disposition  or  meritorious  work  means  nothing  more  than  to 
emphasize  the  particular  place  which  these  hold  in  conjunction  with 
the  other  acts,  but  does  not  point  out  a  new  merit  possessed  by  them 
separately.  Such  passages  are  related  to  others  with  which  they 
form  a  harmonious  whole,  and  depend  on  them  for  their  full  signifi- 
cation. But  in  the  case  of  the  Twelfth  Promise  no  such  interpre- 
tation can  be  advocated  without  doing  violence  to  the  text.  The 
Great  Promise  is  complete  in  itself,  not  dependent  on,  or  correlated 
to  any  other,  therefore,  in  interpreting  it  we  must  take  the  full  scope 
and  range  of  its  contents  unrestrictedly. 

Furthermore,  Christ  in  the  Sacred  Scripture  promises  life  ever- 
lasting to  those  who  eat  His  flesh  and  drink  His  blood.  However, 
He  does  not  specify  the  frequency  of  this  participation  in  his  flesh 
and  blood.  It  is  to  endure  throughout  the  whole  life,  and  according 
to  the  practice  prescribed  by  the  discipline  of  the  Church.  Parallel 
is  the  case  as  regards  the  grace  attached  to  the  Scapular.  One  must 
be  invested  with  it  at  the  hour  of  death.  This  presupposes  a  kind 
of  negative  perseverance  till  the  last  moment  of  our  terrestrial  so- 
journ when  the  designated  favor  is  to  be  bestowed.  But  the  Great 
Promise  is  not  conditioned  by,  or  subordinated  to  a  practice  of  in- 
definite duration,  for  the  indicated  conditions  could  have  been  satis- 
fied long  before  death  overtakes  us.  It  is  particularly  in  this  feature 
Father  Vermeersch  places  the  excellence  of  the  Nine  Fridays'  De- 
votion.1 

He  argues  further  that  the  grace  of  God  can  surely  triumph  over 
the  weaknesses  as  well  as  over  the  obstinacy  of  man.  It  is  un- 
doubtedly capable  of  preventing  presumption  and  hardening  in  sin. 


*"La  promesse  de  Notre  Seigneur  n'est  subordonnee  a  aucune  pratique  de 
duree  indefinie.  Longtemps  meme  avant  la  mort,  il  peut  etre  pleinement 
satisfait  a  toutes  les  conditions.  Voila  ce  qui  fait  la  specialite  et  1'excellence 
de  la  Grande  Promesse"  (VERMEERSCH,  op.  cit.,  torn.  II,  ch.  Ill,  art.  II,  p. 
225). 


OF  THE  GREAT   PROMISE  159 

Without  His  grace  man  is  unable  to  presevere  in  justice,  and  He 
can  give  anyone  a  sufficient  grace  which  He  foresees  will  eventually 
be  efficacious.  He  may  lay  down  certain  condition  for  its  acquisition, 
or  may  bring  about  the  same  result  absolutely,  i.  e.,  without  any 
conditions  whatsoever.  In  the  present  case  God  will  not  bestow  this 
grace  unless  certain  conditions  are  verified  beforehand.  Since, 
however,  according  to  the  general  rule  of  interpretation,  the  literal 
sense  is  to  be  preferred,  unless  something  obviously  militates  against 
it,  therefore,  he  concludes,  all  those  who  fulfill  the  prescribed  condi- 
tions are  morally  certain  of  their  salvation.1 

The  disposition  with  which  these  Holy  Communions  should  be  re- 
ceived is  (1)  the  state  of  grace,  (2)  the  intention  of  not  neglecting 
one's  spiritual  obligations  in  the  future,  (3)  in  honor  of  the  Sacred 
Heart  as  a  reparation  to  make  amends  for  the  ingratitude  of  men, 
(4)  special  intention  of  gaining  the  grace  offered  by  the 
Twelfth  Promise.  Father  Vermeersch  rejects  the  opinion 
of  Father  Smith  who  claims  that  a  high  degree  of  fervor  must  be 
manifested  in  the  reception  of  these  nine  Holy  Communions  in 
order  that  the  promised  grace  may  be  granted.  Bainvel  clings  to 
the  opinion  of  Father  Vermeersch  by  claiming  that  the  promise  is 
absolute,  and  presupposes  as  a  condition  only  the  worthy  reception 
of  the  nine  Holy  Communions  at  the  time  specified.  It  promises  final 
perseverance,  he  says,  purporting  the  penitence  and  the  last  Sacra- 
ments, but  only  in  the  degree  necessary.2 


'"Ceux  qui  communieront  neuf  premiers  vendredis  de  suite  avec  des  dis- 
positions voulues  auront  tous  la  grace  de  la  perseverance  finale.  Et,  par  con- 
sequent, les  fideles  qui,  de  bon  coeur,  s'efforcent  de  realiser  cette  condition 
sont  moralement  assures  de  leur  salut."  (VERMfcERSCH,  Op.  cit.,  torn.  II,  ch. 
Ill,  art.  II,  p.  226). 

*  "Ce  qui  est  promis,  ce  n'est  pas  la  perseverance  dans  le  bien  pendant  tout 
la  vie:  ce  n'est  pas  non  plus  la  reception  des  derniers  sacrements  en  toute 
hypothese,  c'est  la  perseverance  finale,  emportant  la  penitence  et  les  derniers 
sacrements  dans  la  mesure  necessaire.  Ceux-la  ne  comprennent  rien  a  la 
devotion  de  1'amour,  que  ces  grandes  promesses  scandalisent,  ou  qui  n'y 
voient  qu'un  encouragement  a  mal  faire."  (Dictionnaire  de  Theologie 
Catholique,  art.  Coeur  Sacre  de  Jesus  (Devotion  ow),  col.  332). 


160  INTERPRETATION  OF  THE  TEXT 

The  advocates  of  the  third  mode  of  interpretation,  therefore, 
maintain  that  if  we  stand  by  the  plain  and  obvious  meaning  of  the 
language  none  of  those  who  make  the  Nine  Fridays  duly  are  to  be 
excluded  from  the  moral  certainty  of  a  happy  death.  In  their 
estimation  the  grace  of  final  perseverance  spoken  of  in  the  Great 
Promise  is  an  efficacious  grace,  and  it  will  infallibly  obtain  the  con- 
sent of  the  will.1 

But  what  is  to  be  said  about  those  who  presume  that  their  salva- 
tion is  secure  irrespective  of  the  kind  of  life  they  lead  in  the  future, 
provided  they  have  made  the  Nine  Fridays.  We  are  to  distinguish 
whether  this  presumption  on  their  part,  arose  before  they  engaged 
in  the  devotion  or  after  they  terminated  it.  No  provision  is  made 
for  those  in  whose  case  this  presumption  arises  concomitantly  with 
the  devotion.  In  the  first  case  they  would  lack  the  necessary  disposi- 
tion,  and  consequently,  have  no  right  to  the  promised  reward.  As  to 
the  second  case,  the  interpretations  disagree.  Father  Bachelet  be- 
lieves that  those  who  by  a  consequent  presumption  become  hardened 
in  the  state  of  sin,  by  this  very  act  place  an  impediment  in  the  way  of 
the  realization  of  the  Great  Promise.  Even  those  who  by  mere  hu- 
man weakness,  without  any  presumption  on  their  part,  transgress  the 
commandments  of  God,  by  this  very  fact  lose  their  assured  title 
to  this  special  divine  assistance.  However,  we  should  not  hesitate  to 
state,  he  says,  if  not  absolutely  at  least  as  something  plausible  and 
especially  to  be  hoped  for,  that  the  Heart  of  Jesus  will  remember 
in  opportune  time  the  right  these  sinful  souls  acquired  by  the  per- 
formance of  the  Nine  Fridays'  Devotion,  and  causing  the  obstacle  to 


1  SACICRDOS,  American  Mess,  of  the  Sacred  Heart,  loc.  cit.,  year  1898,  p.  158. 


OF  THE  GREAT   PROMISE  161 

disappear,  He  will  simultaneously  revive  the  right  which  is  suspend- 
ed in  some  way  on  account  of  their  state  of  sin.1 

Father  Vermeersch  treats  with  the  same  severity  those  souls  whose 
presumption  arose  before  they  engaged  in  the  devotion.  But  after 
they  have  once  performed  it  with  the  necessary  disposition  and  good 
intention  they  may  entertain  a  moral  certitude  as  to  their  salva- 
tion. God  by  this  special  grace  will  safeguard  them  from  falling 
into  presumption,  he  maintains,  or,  at  least,  from  persevering  in  it. 
In  his  opinion  the  consequent  mode  of  life,  be  it  what  it  may,  has  no 
bearing  on  the  question.  The  chances  of  the  most  inveterate  sinners 
are  not  less  than  those  of  mediocre  sinners :  the  merited  grace  will 
give  an  equal  assurance  of  salvation  to  both.2 

The  same  author  maintains  that  this  interpretation  does  not  con- 
tradict the  Canon  of  the  Council  of  Trent  which  anathematizes  those 
who  with  absolute  and  infallible  certitude  would  declare  that  they 
will  have  the  gift  of  final  perseverance,  unless  such  a  knowledge  was 


*"Ne  craignons  done  pas,  sinon  d'affirmer  absolument,  du  moins  d'enonccr 
comme  chose  plausible,  et  surtout  d'esperer  que  le  Coeur  de  Jesus  se  souviendra 
en  temps  opportun  du  droit  acquis  par  les  ames  pecheresses,  mais  suspendu 
en  quelque  sorte  par  leurs  fautes  et  leur  etat  de  peche,  et  que  faisant  disparai- 
tre  1'obstacle,  il  fera  du  meme  coup  revivre  le  droit."  (BACHEI,ET,  in  the 
Etudes  ReL,  torn.  LXXXVIII,  p.  393). 

*  "Les  fideles  qui,  de  bon  coeur,  s'efforcent  de  realiser  cette  condition  sont 
moralement  assures  de  leur  salut.  ...  La  mauvaise  volonte  ne  pourrait  done 
venir  qu'apres  cette  neuvaine.  Outre  que  de  ferventes  communions,  con- 
tinuees  pendent  pres  d'un  an,  disposent  peu  Tame  aux  abus  de  la  presomption. 
Dieu  saura  precisement  par  sa  grace  empecher  qu'on  y  tombe,  ou  du  moins 


162  INTERPRETATION  OF  THE  TEXT 


communicated  to  them  through  a  special  revelation.1  The  promise  is 
first  of  all  only  a  private  revelation,  Father  Vermeersch  remarks,  nor 
can  it  be  said  to  give  us  more  than  moral  certainty.  The  very  ac- 
tuality of  the  revelation  made  to  Blessed  Margaret  Mary,  the  exact- 
ness of  the  terms  in  which  she  couched  the  promise,  the  verification 
of  the  conditions  and  disposition  required  on  our  part,  all  these  can 
be  known  only  with  that  moral  certainty  which  still  leaves  room  for 
error,  in  order  to  stimulate  us  to  work  out  our  own  salvation  in  fear 
and  trembling.2 

This  will  suffice  regarding  the  interpretation  of  the  first  reward 
of  which  the  Great  Promise  gives  assurance,  viz.,  the  grace  of  final 
perseverance.  The  second  spiritual  favor  promised  to  those  who 
practice  the  Devotion  of  the  Nine  Fridays  presents  no  such  difficul- 
ties. 

Here  we  find  that  all  the  versions  extend  the  same  hope,  viz.,  that 
of  receiving  the  last  sacraments  before  dying.  The  variances  found 
in  the  different  versions  are  quite  irrelevant.  The  text  preferred  by 
Father  Vermeersch  has  les  sacrements.3  The  Visitandines  give 
preference  to  leurs  sacrements*  In  the  formula  of  Bishop  Languet 
we  find  les  sacrements  de  I'Eglise.5  According  to  the  interpretation 
of  the  defenders  of  the  Great  Promise  this  expression  is  not  to  be 
taken  in  the  sense  which  it  obviously  conveys.  In  this  respect  Father 
Vermeersch  seems  to  be  guilty  of  an  inconsistency,  for  his  contention 


1  "Si  quis  magnum  illud  usque  ad  finem  perse verantiae  donum  se  certo  habi- 
turum  absoluta  et  infalibili  certitudine  dixerit,  nisi  hoc  ex  speciali  revelatione 
didicerit,  A.  S."     (Council  of  Trent,  s.  VI,  c.  16). 

2  "Car  la  realite  meme  de  la  revelation  faite  a  la  Bienheureuse,  1' exactitude 
des  termes  dans  lesquels  elle  rapporte  la  promesse,  la  verification  par  nous 
de  la  condition  requise,  tout  cela  ne  nous  est  connu  qu'avec  cette  certitude 
morale,  qui  laisse  assez  de  chances  d'erreur  pour  nous  faire  tou jours  operer 
notre  salut  avec  crainte  et  tremblement."    (VERMEERSCH,  op.  cit.,  torn.  II,  ch. 
Ill,  art.  II,  p.  227). 

1  VERMEERSCH,  op.  cit.,  torn.  II,  ch.  Ill,  art.  I,  p.  210. 

4  Vie  et  Oeuvres  de  la  Bienheureuse  Marguerite-Marie,  ed.  1867,  vol.  II, 
p.  159. 
6  LANGUET,  op.  cit.,  p.  242. 


OF  THE  GREAT   PROMISE  163 

is  that  the  text  of  the  Twelfth  Promise  is  to  be  interpreted  literally, 
but  he  fails  to  conform  to  this  decision  when  explaining  this  second 
reward.  He  comes  to  the  conclusion  that  the  sudden  death  of  so 
many  holy  priests  and  religious  without  the  sacraments  of  the  dying, 
instead  of  militating  against  the  promise,  rather  suggests  its  explan- 
ation. Many  of  these  Priests  and  religious  who  thus  pass  away 
have  undoubtedly  made  the  Nine  Fridays.  How  then  can  this  fact 
be  reconciled  with  the  Great  Promise?  And  his  answer  is  that, 
while  as  to  the  first  reward  Our  Lord  gives  an  absolute  assurance, 
He  does  not  intend  to  give  the  same  guarantee  as  to  the  second.  As 
to  the  sacraments,  therefore,  the  promise  is  conditional,  inasmuch  as 
Christ  will  furnish  an  occasion  of  receiving  them,  but  only  in  case 
one  is  in  need  of  them  in  order  to  place  himself  in  the  grace  of  God. 
The  grace  of  final  repentance  is  indispensable  to  salvation,  but  the 
last  sacraments  are  only  relatively  necessary.  A  person,  therefore, 
who  enjoys  the  state  of  grace  at  the  hour  of  death,  is  not  to  expect 
also  the  sacraments  of  the  dying  on  the  ground  that  he  made  the 
Nine  Fridays,  though  Christ  very  frequently  gives  more  than  He 
promises.  The  mention  of  the  sacraments  is,  therefore,  to  be  con- 
sidered as  an  accessory,  the  principal  purpose  of  the  promise  is  life 
eternal,  which  can  be  obtained  without  receiving  the  benefit  of  the 
second  part  of  the  promise,  not,  however,  without  the  first  part.1 
Father  Bachelet  calls  attention  to  the  fact  that  there  are  two  ways 
of  receiving  the  sacraments,  viz.,  in  reality,  when  they  are  within 
our  reach,  and  by  desire,  in  the  contrary  case.  Furthermore,  he  re- 
marks that  if  the  actual  reception  of  the  sacraments  were  guaranteed 
by  the  Twelfth  Promise,  a  sense  conveyed  by  the  literal  interpreta- 
tion of  the  same,  then  it  would  be  equivalent  to  an  infallible  assur- 


^'La  mention  des  sacrements  n'est  qu'accessoire,  et  qu'il  s'agit  surtout, 
sinon  exclusivement,  de  donner  aux  privilegies  de  la  Grande  Promesse  1'assur- 
ance  morale  de  leur  salut  eternel."  (VERMEERSCH,  op,  cit.f  torn.  II,  ch.  Ill, 
art.  II,  p.  324). 


164  INTERPRETATION  OF  THE  TEXT 


ance  against  sudden  death. 1  He  is  not  inclined  to  admit  such  an  ab- 
surdity. His  claim  therefore  is  that  Christ  will  animate  the  soul  with 
sentiments  promoting  justification  in  case  the  actual  reception  of  the 
sacraments  is  not  possible.  These  sentiments  are  contrition  and 
charity.  - 

From  the  above  statements  it  is  manifest  that  the  interpreters  lay 
little  stress  on,  and  attribute  only  a  slight  significance  to  the  sacra- 
ments in  connection  with  the  Great  Promise. 

These  interpretations  are  far  from  appealing  to  all.  Many  entire- 
ly refuse  to  give  assent  to  them,  and  Father  McNabb  especially 
declares  his  dissatisfaction.  The  correspondence  which,  in  form  of 
a  controversy,  took  place  in  1903  in  the  London  Tablet,  reveals  the 
conviction  of  24  different  persons  who  engaged  therein.  The  36 
letters  published  in  the  above  periodical  were  written  by  priests, 
laymen  and  converts.  Some  of  these  defend  the  promise,  others  re- 
ject it,  while  a  third  class  tries  to  suggest  a  reasonable  explanation 
of  it.  Great  benefit  can  be  drawn  from  the  perusal  of  this  corres- 
pondence, because  all  those  who  participated  in  the  debate  expressed 
their  convictions  unhesitatingly  on  the  subject.  Both  the  defenders 
of  the  promise  and  its  opponents  endeavored  to  accentuate  the  fact 
that  they  were  actuated  by  the  purest  of  motives,  desirous  of  doing 
service  to  the  Church  whose  highest  interest  and  welfare  they  had  at 
heart. 

It  is  not  our  intention  to  enter  into  a  detailed  account  of  this  ex- 
change of  letters.  Suffice  it  to  say  that  the  defenders  of  the  Great 
Promise  considered  the  Devotion  of  the  Nine  Fridays  as  a  great 
treasure  constituting  one  of  the  most  valuable  and  attractive  features 
of  the  Devotion  to  the  Sacred  Heart.  The  opponents,  on  the  other 
hand,  pointed  to  the  Twelfth  Promise  as  a  derogatory  and  disfigur- 

1  "II  n'est  done  pas  necessaire  de  soutenir  que  la  pratique  en  question  assure 
a  tous  ceux  qui  s'en  sont  acquittes  la  reception  effective  des  derniers  sacre- 
ments,  et  par  suite,  devienne  une  sauveguarde  infaillible  centre  la  mort 
subite."  (BACHELET,  in  the  Etudes  Rel,  vol.  LXXXVIII,  p.  393.) 


OF  THE  GREAT  PROMISE  165 

ing  characteristic  of  the  same  devotion,  if  accepted  in  the  light  of  the 
interpretation  generally  attributed  to  it  by  the  widely  diffused  de- 
votional books,  manuals,  pamphlets,  and  leaflets  disseminated  among 
the  different  nations  of  the  world.  While  some  content  themselves 
with  applying  to  it  such  an  adjective  as  dangerous,  Father  McNabb 
qualifies  it  as  scandalous.* 

That  the  text  of  the  Great  Promise  in  its  present  wording  is  liable 
to  misleading  interpretation  is  admitted  even  by  some  of  its  defend- 
ers. Boudinhon  maintains  that  the  reason  why  many  priests  abstain 
from  speaking  about  the  Devotion  of  the  Nine  Fridays  is  because 
they  fear  lest  their  hearers  should  conceive  an  illusion  as  to  the  cer- 
tainty or  degree  of  its  efficaciousness.2  Father  Bachelet,  dwelling  on 
the  fact  that  the  promise  was  not  published  till  1867,  suggests  two 
suppositions  with  which  to  explain  this  postponement  of  circulation, 
viz.,  they  might  have  judged  it  very  difficult  of  interpretation  and 
they  might  have  also  considered  it  dangerous.3  It  is  easy  to  see  how 
the  interpretation  of  the  reception  of  the  sacraments  and  the  grace  of 
final  repentance  could  have  taken  a  form  which  by  its  very  nature 
would  be  calculated  to  encourage  presumption.  We  must 
never  lose  sight  of  the  fact  that  the  language  of  a  the- 
ologian who  weighs  his  statements  with  logical  precision  and 
gravity,  is  different  from  that  employed  by  the  devotional 
writer  whose  only  aim  is  to  excite  fervor  and  piety.  It  was  judged 
dangerous  because  it  presumably  advocated  the  certainty  of  salva- 
tion, irrespective  of  the  mode  of  life  consequent  to  the  compliance 


1  McNABB,  The  Twelfth  Promise,  American  Cath.  Quarterly,  vol.  XXVIII, 
p.  753. 

2  "Quelques-uns,  meme  parmi  les  meilleurs  pretres,  evitent  de  parler  de  la 
neuvaine,  parce  qu'ils  craignent  que  les  fideles  ne  se  fassent  illusions  sur  le 
degre  ou  la  certitude  de  son  efficacite."    (BOUDINHON,  Revue  du  Clerge  Fran- 
gais,  torn.  XXXVI,  p.  114). 

'"Deux  suppositions  restent  plausibles.  On  a  pu  trouver  cette  promesse 
d'une  interpretation  trop  difficile;  on  a  pu  aussi  la  juger  dangereuse."  (BACH&- 
LET,  in  the  Etudes  ReL,  vol.  LXXXVIII,  p.  387). 


166  INTERPRETATION  OF  THE  TEXT 


with  the  requirements  of  the  Great  Promise.  Moreover,  it  seemed 
to  contradict  the  dogmatic  definition  drawn  up  by  the  Council  of 
Trent. 

Father  McNabb  points  out  some  interpretations  of  the  promise 
found  in  leaflets  scattered  broadcast  among  the  simple  pious  faith- 
ful, and  rightly  emphasizes  the  fact  that  it  exposes  them  to  the 
danger  of  falling  into  material  superstition.1  He  expresses  his  dis- 
approval in  particular  against  the  leaflet  of  Stephen  Coube,  S.  J., 
which  is  being  circulated  without  an  imprimatur  and  misleads  its 
readers  by  the  statement  that  "the  Holy  Church  has  adopted  and 
blessed  this  practise."  2  Again,  he  maintains  that  the  Little  Treasury 
or  Leaflets  published  by  M.  and  S.  Eaton,  Dublin,  doe.s  not  quote 
the  promise  in  a  correct  form.  He  also  points  out  that  a  booklet 
translated  from  the  French  (Montreuil-sur-Mer  in  1894)  entitled, 
Promises  made  by  Our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  to  Blessed  Margaret 
Mary  contains  14  promises.  The  writer  of  this  latter  book  is  Father 
Francoisi,  S.  J.,  and  it  is  circulated  with  the  imprimatur  of  the 
Provincial.3 

To  the  above  we  might  add  the  objectionable  statements  contained 
in  the  Catechisme  de  la  devotion  au  Sacre  Coeur,  par  un  Pretre 
Oblat  de  Marie  Immaculee,  Paris,  1902.  Speaking  of  the  Great 
Promise  this  author  says  that  it  is  certain  both  as  to  its  origin  and  as 
to  its  effects.  It  is  found  in  the  authentic  writings  of  Blessed  Mar- 
garet Mary.  Those  who  comply  with  the  required  conditions  will 
obtain  the  necessary  graces  to  persevere  until  death  in  the  narrow 
path  of  salvation  by  a  perfect  observance  of  the  precepts  of  the 
Church,  or  the  evangelical  counsels.  The  right  to  these  extra- 
ordinary fruits,  once  acquired,  cannot  be  lost  even  if  afterwards  one 
stays  away  from  the  frequentation  of  the  sacraments.  But  the 


1  McNABB,  The  Nine  Fridays,  American  Cath.  Quart.,  vol.  XXVIII,  p.  756. 

2  MACNABB,  loc.  cit.,  vol.  XXVIII,  p.  752. 
1  McNABB,  loc.  cit.,    p.  748. 


OF  THE  GREAT   PROMISE  167 

graces  received  are  so  abundant  that  this  complete  forgetfulness  of 
essential  duties  will  be  a  rare  exception  and  of  short  duration.  In- 
excusable are,  therefore,  all  those  who  throw  aside  this  easy  plank 
of  salvation.1 

Another  work  which  also  contains  statements  that  cannot  be  sub- 
stantiated is  the  Tresor  Spirituel  de  la  devotion  au  Sacre  Coeur  de 
Jesus.'2  Its  author  qualifies  the  promise  as  great  on  account  of  the 
grace  of  which  it  gives  an  absolute  assurance,  viz.,  the  grace  of 
final  perseverance,  a  holy  death,  salvation.  Furthermore,  it  offers 
a  plank  of  salvation  which  is  so  easily  accessible.  The  Sacred 
Heart  has  given  us  an  answer  to  the  question :  Who  can  be  saved  ?  3 

The  author  continues,  he  who  communicates  in  a  pious  manner 
every  month  is  on  his  way  to  heaven,  and  by  communicating  nine 
First  Fridays  he  will  obtain  a  special  grace  to  persevere  in  this  way 
until  death.  * 

Examples  may  be  found  even  in  American  magazines  that  are 
deserving  of  similar  condemnation.  The  article  published  in  the 
American  Mess,  of  the  Sacred  Heart*  is  unquestionably  capa- 
ble of  misinterpretation.  In  the  foregoing  pages  it  has  already  been 
pointed  out  how  this  author  leaves  one  under  the  false  impression 

1  "Qu'ils  seraient  inexcusables  ceux  qui  laisseraient  de  cote  cette  planche  de 
salut.  Cette  promesse  est  certaine,  quant  a  son  origine  et  quant  a  ses  effets. 
Elle  a  etc  certainement  faite  a  la  Bienheureuse  Marguerite-Marie,  comme  les 
ecrits  authentiques  de  la  servante  de  Dieu  en  font  foi.  Ceux  qui,  apres  avoir 
fait,  avec  une  piete  sincere,  les  neuf  communions,  s'eloigneront  ensuite  de  la 
frequentation  des  sacrements,  perdront-ils  le  droit  aux  fruits  de  la  promesse 
divine?  Non  assurement.  Mais  les  graces  obtenues  sont  si  abondantes,  que, 
cet  oubli  complet  des  devoirs  essentiels  de  la  vie  chretienne  ne  pourra  etre 
qu'une  exception  assez  rare,  au  moins  sera-t-elle  momentanee."  (Op.  cit., 
pp.  255-258). 

'CHAPELAIN  DE  MONTMARTRE,  2  vols.,  Paris,  1902. 

"  "Quelle  grace,  la  perseverance  finale !  une  sainte  mort !  Le  Sacre  Coeur 
nous  presente  un  moyen  si  facile  pour  se  sauver,  et  nous  a  donne  la  reponse  a 
la  question:  Qui  done  pourra  etre  sauve?"  (Tresor  Spirituel,  torn.  I,  p.  217). 

4"Quiconque  communie  saintement,  chaque  mois,  est  dans  la  voie  du  ciel; 
ct  s'il  a  fait  les  neuf  communions  demandees,  il  obtiendra  du  Sacre  Coeur  une 
grace  special  e  pour  perseverer  dans  cette  voie  jusqu'a  la  mort."  (Op.  cit., 
vol.  I,  p.  218). 

'  SACERDOS,  A  Ground  of  Hope,  1898,  p.  156. 


168  INTERPRETATION  OF  THE  TEXT 


that  we  possess  the  autographic  document  on  which  the  Twelfth 
Promise  is  based.  "Again",  says  the  same  author,  "what  we  con- 
tend is  that  the  Great  Promise  does  insure  him  an  efficacious  grace, 
wherewith  he  shall  unfailingly,  though  with  full  liberty,  perform 
whatever  may  be  necessary  for  salvation.  And  it  is  precisely  in  this 
that  the  Great  Promise  goes  further  than  the  promises  found  in  the 
Gospel."1 

What  answer  is  to  be  given  to  the  objection  of  those  who  main- 
tain that  the  Twelfth  Promise  is  offered  only  as  a  means  of  im- 
petrating  a  happy  death,  or  perseverance  in  prayer,  whereby  a  happy 
death  can  be  infallibly  secured?  "We  ask",  he  rejoins,  "do  these 
Holy  Communions  obtain  that  grace  infallibly  or  not?  If  they  ob- 
tain it  for  us  infallibly,  then,  we  say,  that  this  interpretation  does 
not  differ  substantially  from  our  own.  But,  if  the  Communions  do 
not  obtain  infallibly  for  us  the  grace  spoken  of  in  the  objection,  then 
Christ's  words  may  be  proved  false,  and  many  who  have  made  the 
Nine  Fridays  worthily  may  still  die  in  His  disfavor,  and  be  lost; 
hence  we  reject  this  interpretation."2 

In  the  opinion  of  this  author,  the  grace  bestowed  by  the  Twelfth 
Promise  is  of  a  higher  order  than  the  grace  given  by  the  sacraments 
which  are  directly  instituted  by  Christ  as  the  proper  channels  of 
graces  for  all  the  faithful.  He  Himself  makes  the  assertion  that: 
"No  Sacrament  was  instituted  as  the  cause  of  such  an  efficacious 
actual  grace,  that  is,  of  a  grace  that  would  infallibly  obtain  the  con- 
sent of  the  will,"  yet,  it  is  precisely  this  kind  of  grace  he  claims  for 
the  person  who  has  made  the  Nine  Fridays. 

This  will  suffice  to  indicate  that  the  Great  Promise  has  been  in- 
terpreted in  terms  which  are  unwarrantable,  and  that  many  inde- 
fensible and  misleading  things  have  been  said  about  it.  To  say  that 
this  practice  is  adopted  and  blessed  by  the  Church,  that  the 

1  Loc.  tit.,  p.  162. 

1  Loc.  cit.,  p.  163. 


THE:  GREAT  PROMISE  169 


promised  grace  will  be  granted  unfailingly  that  if  one  complied  with 
the  requisite  conditions  he  will  persevere  in  good  works  throughout 
all  the  days  of  his  life,  that  these  Holy  Communions  will  infallibly 
obtain  for  us  a  happy  death,  that  it  is  the  most  accessible  plank  of 
salvation  .  .  .  etc.,  are  statements  which  may  be  qualified  as 
unduly  exaggerated,  bold  and  unjustifiable  in  the  absence  of  an  au- 
thoritative pronouncement  on  the  part  of  the  Church.  There  is  a 
serious  danger  in  such  language  because  simple-minded  and 
credulous  persons  will  not  stop  to  inquire  into  the  reasons,  but 
will  interpret  literally  such  favorable  statements,  without  questioning 
the  authority  of  the  writer,  especially  if  he  be  an  ecclesiastic. 

If  the  advocates  of  the  third  mode  of  interpretation  were  in  a 
position  to  corroborate  their  conclusions  by  putting  the  efficacy  of 
the  Twelfth  Promise  to  the  test,  many  who  at  present  are  loath  to  ac- 
cept their  views  would  fain  do  so.  Such  a  test,  however,  would  seem 
to  involve  an  insurmountable  difficulty,  for  it  would  necessitate  the 
knowledge  of  our  neighbor's  spiritual  state  into  which  the  eyes  of 
God  alone  can  penetrate. 

The  case  is  easy  when  the  person  in  question  received  the  Sacra- 
ments before  death.  But  what  is  to  be  said  about  those  who  died 
without  them?  The  interpreters  answer:  They  either  were  not  in 
need  of  them,  because  they  already  possessed  the  sanctitfying  grace, 
or,  in  case  they  were,  God  gave  them  the  necessary  grace  to  sancti- 
fy their  soul  without  the  Sacraments  of  the  dying.  Thus  we  fall 
into  a  conjecture  which  can  never  be  clarified  because  the  ways  of 
God  are  inscrutible.  Again,  they  say:  The  man  who  died  without 
the  last  rites  of  the  Church,  if  he  led  an  evil  life  lacked,  in  all  likeli- 
hood, the  necessary  disposition  when  he  engaged  in  the  Devotion 
of  the  Nine  Fridays.  If  he  led  a  good  life,  and  passed  out  of  this 
world  without  the  last  Sacraments,  then,  they  answer,  in  all  prob- 
ability, he  was  not  in  need  of  them.  And  in  case  he  was  guilty  of 
suicide  they  ask  the  following  questions:  Are  you  certain  that  the 


170  INTERPRETATION  OF  THE)  TEXT 

man  in  question  made  the  Nine  Fridays  worthily?  Are  you  certain 
that  the  act  was  not  committed  in  a  moment  of  mental  derange- 
ment? Are  you  certain  that  God  did  not  confer  the  efficacious  grace 
of  perfect  contrition  on  that  soul  in  the  last  instant  of  its  life  in  the 
body?  Until  you  can  answer  YES  to  each  of  these  questions,  the 
third  interpretation  of  the  promise  is  not  to  be  rejected}- 

Thus  they  cover  practically  all  contingencies,  and  not  one  of  them 
is  such  as  the  human  mind  could  satisfactorily  answer,  for  they  lead 
into  the  realm  of  the  supernatural,  over  which  God  alone  holds 
sovereign  and  undisputed  dominion. 

Father  McNabb  thinks  it  remarkable  that  Blessed  Margaret  Mary 
died  without  receiving  the  last  Sacraments.2  With  this  assertion, 
no  doubt,  he  means  to  intimate  that  a  fact  of  such  nature  must 
needs  militate  against  the  efficacy  of  the  Great  Promise. 
Even  if  the  remark  were  true,  it  would  fail  to  be  a  serious 
objection,  for  the  interpreters  already  anticipated  such  possi- 
bilities in  the  case  of  others.  No  one  would  maintain  that  such  a 
holy  person  was  in  need  of  the  Sacraments  of  the  dying.  However, 
it  will  not  be  out  of  place  to  shed  some  of  the  available  light  on  this 
remark  of  Father  McNabb.  Practically  all  the  reliable  testimonies 
agree  that  the  priest  did  not  administer  Holy  Communion  by  way 
of  viaticum,  because  her  sickness  was  not  considered  sufficiently 
grave  to  justify  such  administration.  The  same  testimonies  apprise 
us  of  the  fact  that  the  day  before  she  died  she  received  Holy  Com- 
munion and,  having  anticipated  by  a  special  presentiment  that  this 
was  the  last  time  she  would  have  occasion  to  receive  it  during 
her  life,  she  formed  the  intention  of  receiving  it  by  way  of  viaticum. 


1  SACERDOS,  Ground  of  Hope,  Amer.  Mess,  of  the  Sacred  Heart,  1898,  p.  162, 
*Loc.  cit.,  vol.  XXVIII,  p.  746. 


OF  THE  GREAT   PROMISE  171 


We  have  her  own  words  to  prove  this  fact.1 

As  to  the  Sacrament  of  Extreme  Unction,  it  may  be  said  that  the 
accessible  sources  when  weighed  and  viewed  collectively  are  calcu- 
lated to  induce  one  to  pronounce  in  favor  of  its  administration.  It 
is  known  that  her  prophecy  as  to  her  death  in  the  arms  of  two 
Sisters,  viz.,  Frangoise-Rosalie  de  Verchere  and  Peronne-Rosalie 
de  Farges  was  actually  fulfilled.2  Hence,  these  two  sisters  were  in 
a  position  to  know  the  circumstances  under  which  she  expired. 
These  same  sisters  in  1715  engaged  in  writing  her  life  preliminary 
to  the  canonical  process  of  her  beatification.  In  this  autographic 
Memoir,  to  the  composition  of  which  each  of  them  contributed  her 
share  of  efforts,  they  do  not  leave  us  in  doubt  as  to  the  administra- 
tion of  the  Sacrament  of  Extreme  Unction.3 

In  the  extracts  of  the  canonical  procedure  of  1715  we  read  that 
Sister  Anne-Alexis  de  Mareschall,  a  contemporary  of  Blessed  Mar- 
garet Mary,  made  a  deposition  that  there  was  just  about  sufficient 
time  to  give  her  the  Sacrament  of  Extreme  Unction.4 

Sr.  Claude  Rosalie  de  Farges  informs  us  in  the  course  of  her 
deposition  that  Blessed  Margaret  Mary  asked  to  receive  the  last 
Sacraments,  but,  on  account  of  undue  delay,  she  was  found  in  such 
a  state  that  she  was  no  longer  in  a  condition  to  receive  the  benefit 
of  the  viaticum.  Since  she  does  not  make  such  an  unfavorable 
comment  concerning  the  Sacrament  of  Extreme  Unction,  we  can 
legitimately  infer  that  it  was  given. 


ll'J'ai  regu  cet  adorable  sacrement  en  viatique,  la  derniere  fois  que  j'ai 
communie."  (Fie  et  Oeuvres,  ed.  1915,  torn.  I,  p.  526.) 

2"Mes  enfants  je  mourrai  entre  vos  bras."  (Vie  et  Oeuvres.  ed.  1915, 
torn.  I,  pp.  507,  540.) 

8"Une  heure  avant  qu'elle  expirat,  elle  fit  appeler  sa  Superieure.  Elle  la 
pria  de  lui  faire  donner  1'extreme  onction.  Cela  fait,  elle  la  remercia.  Apres 
quoi,  elle  demeura  quelque  temps  dans  un  grand  calme,  et  ayant  profere  le 
saint  nom  de  Jesus,  elle  rendit  doucement  son  esprit."  (Vie  et  Oeuvres,  ed. 
1915,  torn.  I,  p.  294.) 

4"Et  effectivement  elle  se  trouva  si  mal  qu'pn  n'eut  que  le  temps  de  lui 
donner  I'extreme  onction  qu'elle  regut  en  expirant."  (Vie  et  Oeuvres,  ed. 
1915,  torn.  I,  p.  526.) 

'  Vie  et  Oeuvres,  ed.  1915,  torn.  I,  p.  526. 


172  INTERPRETION  OF  THE  TEXT  OF  THE  GREAT  PROMISE 


All  doubts  on  this  subject  ought  to  disappear  entirely  when  one 
reads  the  original  circular  of  the  Convent  of  Paray  written  on  Au- 
gust 8, 1691,  one  year  after  the  death  of  the  Beata.  It  can  be  learned 
from  this  that  she  expired  while  the  last  unction  was  being  given.1 
Father  Croiset  whose  work  appeared  the  same  year  gives  testimony 
to  the  same  effect  and,  judging  from  the  language  he  employs,  it 
may  be  concluded  that  he  drew  his  information  from  the  same  cir- 
cular.2 It  would  seem  that  in  the  face  of  all  this  first  hand  testi- 
mony the  statements  of  those  who,  having  consulted  only  secondary 
sources,  maintain  that  her  death  occurred  while  the  fourth  unction 
was  given,8  ought  to  fall  to  the  ground. 

It  is  not  our  intention  to  create  an  impression  in  the  mind  of  the 
reader  that  this  point  has  a  bearing  of  paramount  importance  on 
the  interpretation  of  the  Great  Promise.  We  merely  wish  to  clarify 
and  correct  the  mistaken  notion  which  so  many  spiritual  writers 
entertain  on  this  particular  point.  Even,  if  it  were  unquestionably 
certain  that  she  did  not  receive  the  Sacrament  of  Extreme  Unction, 
the  arguments  of  those  who  cling  to  the  third  mode  of  interpretation 
would  not  need  to  undergo  even  the  slightest  change,  and  would 
still  retain  their  full  original  force.  This  was  made  clear  in  one  of 
the  preceding  paragraphs.  Such  an  observation,  therefore,  on  the 
part  of  Father  McNabb,  even  if  he  could  demonstrate  his  statement, 
would  fail  to  prove  a  stumbling-block  to  those  against  whom  it  was 
directed. 


laUne  heure  avant  sa  mort,  elle  fit  appeler  notre  tres  honoree  Mere,  elle 
l'a  pria  de  lui  faire  donner  Textreme  onction,  et  la  remercia  des  soulagements 
que  Ton  s'empressait  de  lui  donner.  Ayant  jete  les  yeux  sur  son  crucifix,  elle 
expira  pendant  qu'on  faisait  la  derniere  onction."  (Vie  et  Oeuvres,  ed.  1916, 
Appendix,  to  vol.  I,  p.  571.) 

2  L'Abrege  de  la  Vie  de  Coeur  Marguerite-Marie  Alacoque,  La  devotion  au 
Sacre  Coeur,  vol.  II,  p.  282. 

•BOUGAUD,  Hist,  de  la  Bienheureuse  Marguerite-Marie,  Paris,  1875,  ch. 
XV,  p.  372. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 


IMPORT  OF  THE  PRIVATE  REVELATION  REFERRING  TO  THE  GREAT 


PROMISE. 


With  the  foregoing  probably  all  the  more  important  questions  in 
connection  with  the  interpretation  of  the  Great  Promise  have  been 
touched  upon.  We  shall  now  proceed  to  investigate  what  degree  of 
credibility  is  to  be  attributed  to  this  supposed  revelation  from  the 
fact  that  (1)  the  writings  of  Blessed  Margaret  Mary  were  sub- 
mitted to  an  examination  by  ecclesiastical  authority ;  (2)  on  Septem- 
ber 22,  1827,  a  decree  was  issued  to  the  effect  that  nothing  was 
found  in  them  deserving  of  theological  censure;1  and,  finally,  (3) 
in  1864  she  was  beatified. 

It  will  be  well,  at  the  outset,  to  adduce  a  few  analogous  cases 
which  will  help  to  solve  the  question  proposed.  Admitting  that  the 
revelation  claimed  to  have  been  communicated  to  Blessed  Margaret 
Mary  actually  took  place,  even  then  it  would  be  only  a  private  revela- 
tion. An  approval  or  confirmation  given  by  the  Church  to  a  private 
revelation  means  nothing  more  than  that  it  contains  nothing  contrary 
to  faith  and  morals.  A  decision  of  this  nature  imposes  no  obliga- 
tion on  any  one  to  give  it  his  assent. 


^'Nihil  hisce  in  Scriptis  et  Epistolis  fuisse  repertum  theologica  censura 
notandum.    Nihil  obstare  et  procedi  posse  ad  ulteriora."    Die  22  Sept.,  1827. 

173 


174  IMPORT  OF  THE  PRIVATE  REVELATION 


Benedict  XIV  speaking  of  such  relevations  as  those  of  St.  Hilde- 
gard  (approved  in  part  by  Eugene  III),  St.  Bridget  (approved  by 
Boniface  IX),  and  St.  Katherine  of  Sienna  (approved  by  Gregory 
VI)  says:  "We  are  not  obliged,  nor  is  it  possible,  to  give  the  assent 
of  the  Catholic  faith  to  such  revelations,  but  only  of  human  faith  in 
conformity  with  the  dictates  of  prudence,  even  if  they  be  approved 
by  the  Holy  See.  Therefore,  one  may  dissent  from  them  without 
any  jeopardy  as  to  the  integrity  of  his  faith.  Even  if  such  private 
revelations  be  proved  and  accepted,  though  they  are  to  be  believed 
by  the  persons  to  whom  they  were  made,  the  adverse  opinions  re- 
tain the  same  probability  which  they  possessed  before  the  revelation.1 

Again,  the  same  author  declares  that  the  revelations  to  which  wo- 
men lay  claim  must  be  scrutinized  and  examined  with  the  utmost 
carefulness  and  accuracy.  It  may  happen,  he  continues,  that  a  saint 
may,  from  preconceived  notions  and  from  some  fixed  ideas  of  his 
imagination,  fancy  that  certain  things  are  revealed  to  him  by  God, 
which  yet  God  does  not  reveal.2 

In  the  light  of  the  foregoing  information  in  our  possession  it  will 
be  well  to  investigate  the  nature  of  the  approbation  which  the  writ- 
ings of  Blessed  Margaret  Mary  received  at  the  hands  of  the  Sacred 
Congregation. 


1  "Praedictis  revelationibus,  etsi  approbatis,  non  debere  nee  posse  a  nobis 
adhiberi  assensum  Fidei  Catholicae,  sed  trantum  Fidei  humanae,  iuxta  regulas 
prudentiae.     Posse  aliquem  salva  et  integra  Fide  Catholica,  assensum  revela- 
tionibus praedictis  non  praestare,   et  ab  eis   recedere.     Theologi  et  mystici 
fatentur,  quod   revelationes  privatae  quamvis  probatae  et  acceptae,  etsi  ab 
illis,  qui  tales  revelationes  patiuntur,  credi  debent,  apud  alios  contrariae 
(sermo  est  de  sententiis,  quae  dictis  revelationibus  adversantur)  eamdem  ob- 
tinent  probabilitatem,  quam  ante  revelationem  habebant."     (BENEDICT  XIV, 
Opera  Omnia,  vol.  Ill,  De  Servorum  Dei  Beatificatione  et  Beatorum  Canoni- 
zatione,  lib.  Ill,  c.  LIU,  p.  15.) 

2  "Ergo  fieri  potest,  ut  aliquis  Sanctus  ex  anticipatis  opinionibus  aut  ideis 
in  phantasia  fixis  aliqua  sibi  a  Deo  revelata  putet,  quae  a  Deo  revelata  non 
sunt."     (BENEDICT  XIV,  op.  cit.f  lib.  III.  c.  LIU,  §§  11  and  17.) 


REFERRING  TO  THE  GREAT  PROMISE  175 

No  one  will  deny  that  the  cause  of  the  popularity  of  the  Nine 
Fridays'  Devotion  lies  in  the  graces  promised.  Boudinhon  remarks 
that  since  the  special  attraction  for  the  majority  of  the  faithful  con- 
sists in  the  assurance  of  a  Christian  death  and  eternal  salvation, 
this  phase  of  the  Great  Promise  must  have  been  considered  in  the 
process  of  the  Beatification  of  Blessed  Margaret  Mary.1  Father 
Vermeersch  maintains  that  the  Vistandines  of  Rome  are  still  in 
possession  of  a  manuscript  containing  the  authentic  Italian  transla- 
tion of  the  writings  of  the  Beata  as  they  were  presented  at  the 
process  of  her  Beatification.2  In  this  document  the  Great  Promise 
is  heavily  underlined,  a  sign  that  it  did  not  pass  by  oversight  but 
by  mature  consideration.  M.  Charrier,  author  of  the  life  of  Father 
de  la  Colombiere,  verified  this  statement  in  1895.  We  owe  this 
intelligence  to  the  kindness  of  Father  Hamon,  author  of  the  recent 
life  of  Blessed  Margaret  Mary. 

But  the  decree  of  Sept.  22, 1827,  is  not  to  be  considered  as  a  formal 
approbation  of  all  the  writings  of  the  Beata.  Nor  did  the  letter 
form  a  part  of  the  discussion  at  that  time.  One  could,  however,  con- 
clude that  the  promise  was  capable  of  explanation  corresponding 
to  sound  theology.  In  1844  a  discussion  took  place  as  to  the  Virtues 
and  other  supernatural  favors  of  the  venerable  servant  of  God. 
On  this  occasion  the  office  of  the  Promotor  Fidei  was  filled  by  Mgr. 
Frattini,  while  that  of  the  Postulator  Causae  by  Mgr.  Arnoldi.  The 
former  draws  attention  to  the  suspicious  fact  that  the  visions  of 
Blessed  Margaret  Mary  several  times  take  the  form  of  an  assur- 
ance of  predestination  given  to  living  people.  It  is  hardly  credible, 
he  continues,  that  the  gift  of  final  perseverance  which  lies  hidden  in 
the  inscrutible  decrees  of  God,  would  be  revealed  to  Blessed  Mar- 


1  In  the  Revue  du  Clerge  Frangais,  torn.  XXXVI,  p.  119. 
•VERMEERSCH,  op.  cit.,  torn.  II,  p.  216,  foot-note. 


176  IMPORT  OF  THE  PRIVATE  REVELATION 


garet  Mary  with  such  frequency.1  St.  Francis  de  Sales  declares 
those  revelations  to  be  especially  open  to  suspicion  which  give  assur- 
ance of  predestination  and  confirmation  in  grace.2  To  this  objec- 
tion the  Postulator  Causae  replied  to  the  effect  that  all  such  promises 
imply  the  supposition  that  one  complies  with  all  the  other  require- 
ments or  means  of  salvation.  He  compares  these  promises  with 
those  made  in  favor  of  the  Scapular  of  Our  Lady  of  Mount  Carmel, 
or  of  the  Rosary.  God  promises  to  those  who  perform  certain  pre- 
scribed spiritual  exercises  a  more  abundant  grace  which  will  help 
them  to  keep  His  commandments  and  to  enter  life  eternal.3  Here  it 
may  be  remarked  that  the  Postulator  Causae,  Mgr.  Arnoldi,  must 
have  attached  a  special  importance  to  the  words  of  the  Twelfth 
Promised:  Si  elle  ne  se  trompe  (if  she  be  not  mistaken),  for  he  in- 
sisted that  they  should  not  be  separated  from,  or  left  out  of  the  text. 
On  the  whole  the  discussion,  as  the  official  documents  record  it, 
does  not  appear  altogether  satisfactory.  Even  Father  Thurston  re- 
marks that  "both  the  objection  and  reply  appear  somewhat  per- 
functory and  ineffective."  4  Thus,  while  the  contents  of  the  Great 
Promise  were  submitted  to  some  discussion,  it  can  be  said  without 


J"Nunc  vero  quis  persuadere  poterit  perseyerantiae  finalis  donum,  quod  in 
imperscrutabilibus  Dei  decretis  occulte  delitescere  solet,  quodque  perraro 
patefieri,  illud  tarn  facile  tamque  frequenter  uni  Ven.  Margaritae  Mariae 
manifestatum  fuisse?  Profecto  is  argui  nullatenus  poterit,  qui  ex  doctrina 
ipsius  Sancti  Francisci  Salesii  huiusmodi  revelationes  ob  rerum  revelatarum 
naturam  suspectas  dixerit."  (Animadversiones  Protoris  Fidei  supra  dubio  de 
Virtutibus.  .  .  .§  80,  p.  48.) 

2  Oeuvres,  vol.  XIII,  ed.  1831,  Lettres,  bk.  II,  Ep.  23 ;  ib.  THURSTON,  The 
Month,  vol.  CI,  p.  638. 

8  "lam  vero  ex  recta  theologorum  post  Angelicum  Doctorem  doctrina,  nulla 
est  vera  devotio,  quae  animum  perfecte  non  inveniat  Deo  obsequentem,  eamque 
ab  causam  in  his  omnibus  tacita  ilia  conditio  est  intelligenda  ut  mandata  legis, 
sine  quibus  nemo  potest  ad  vitam  ingredi,  diligenter  observentur.  In  talibus 
ergo  promissionibus  (sicut  in  commendatione  SS.  Rpsarii,  vel  cultus  B.  Mariae 
Virginis  de  Monte  Carmelo,  aliisque  piis  exercitationibus,  quibus  peculiariter 
addicti  homines  spe  gloriae  coelestis  confortari  audiyimus)  in  fere  est  quod 
promittitur,  Deum  illis  aut  illis  exercitationibus  mediis,  uberiora  suae  gratiae 
auxilia,  quibus  praecepta  servent  et  ad  vitam  ingrediantur,  hominibus  con- 
cessurum."  (Responsio  ad  Animadversiones,  §253.) 

4  The  Nine  Fridays,  in  the  Month,  vol.  CI,  p.  638. 


REFERRING  TO  THE  GREAT  PROMISE  177 


fear  of  contradiction,  that  the  authenticity  of  the  letter  or  the  ac- 
tuality of  the  related  revelation  was  left  entirely  out  of  considera- 
tion. Hence,  even  Father  Thurston,  a  zealous  defender  of  the 
Twelfth  Promise,  is  forced  to  give  expression  to  the  conviction  that 
"it  is  still  possible  that  the  letter  attributed  to  Blessed  Margaret 
Mary  may  be  spurious  or  interpolated,  or  that  she  herself  was  the 
victim  of  an  illusion."  x 

Furthermore,  it  is  to  be  remembered  that  the  conditional  clause 
with  which  the  Beata  premises  her  revelation  could  have  been  con- 
sidered as  safeguard  against  what  might  have  proved  an  obstacle 
to  her  Beatification.  The  Postulator  Causae,  Mgr.  Arnoldi,  appar- 
ently anticipated  some  difficulty  of  this  character,  therefore,  he  would 
not  brook  the  omission  of  the  clause  from  the  rest  of  the  text.  Be- 
sides, beatification,  and  even  canonization  is  only  a  declaration  of 
heroic  virtues  the  person  in  question  practised  while  on  earth. 
Even  heroic  faith  may  be  compatible  with  certain  unwitting  errors 
with  regard  to  the  doctrine  of  faith  and  morals,  still  more  with  re- 
gard to  private  revelations  and  supernatural  visions.  As  a  matter 
of  fact,  when  the  Church  canonizes  or  beatifies  a  person  she  does 
not  thereby  declare  that  all  the  writings  of  the  same  are  to  be  fol- 
lowed, and  his  teachings  unqualifiedly  accepted.  St.  Thomas  frank- 
ly, though  reluctantly,  confesses  that  St.  John  Chrysostom  fell  into 
errors.  St.  Thomas  himself  taught  some  doctrines  which  the 
Church  does  not  accept,  nor  does  the  canonization  of  St.  Anselm 
necessitate  the  conclusion  that  the  Church  advocates  his  a  priori 
arguments  concerning  the  existence  of  God.2  If,  therefore,  these 
learned  saints  taught  material  heresy  without  detriment  to  their  holi- 
ness, no  greater  immunity  from  material  error  need  be  claimed 
for  a  contemplative  nun.  This  is  one  of  the  reasons  which  induced 
Mgr.  Arnoldi  to  insist  that  Mgr.  Frattini,  the  Advocatus  Diaboli, 


1  Loc.  tit.,  p.  640. 

'McNABB,  Tablet,  May.  1903,  p.  737. 


178  IMPORT  OF  THE  PRIVATE  REVELATION 


should  always  quote  the  text  of  the  Great  Promise  with  the  intro- 
ducing words:  Si  elle  ne  se  trompe.  Did  Blessed  Margaret  Mary 
use  these  words  in  obedient  submission  to  her  Superior's  suggestion, 
or,  did  she  mean  to  express  an  actual  doubt  as  to  the  proper  inter- 
pretation of  the  revelation,  are  questions  which  no  man  can  answer 
with  anything  like  absolute  certainty. 

Before  we  offer  our  own  opinion  as  to  the  interpretation  of  the 
Great  Promise,  it  will  be  advisable  to  summarize  the  more  relevant 
facts  of  the  situation.  The  letter  on  which  the  Twelfth  Promise 
is  founded  is  lost.  Its  earliest  transcription  dates  from  about  the 
year  1714.  It  was  not  published  till  1867.  In  the  meantime  the 
writings  of  the  Beata  were  frequently  misquoted  and  interpolated 
at  the  hands  of  spirital  writers.  The  question  of  the  letter's  authen- 
ticity and  the  actuality  of  the  revelation  remained  untouched  during 
the  process  of  her  beatification.  There  are  three  leading  interpreta- 
tions attributed  to  it.  The  Church  does  not  come  to  our  rescue  in 
our  attempt  to  solve  the  numerous  difficulties  arising  from  its  word- 
ing, nor  does  she  take  cognizance  of  it  officially.  Therefore,  one  is 
free  to  form  one's  own  conclusion  in  the  matter,  and  we  shall  suggest 
an  opinion  which,  in  our  estimation,  is  not  devoid  of  probability.  In 
this  respect  the  works  of  Blessed  Margaret  Mary,  her  own  letters  as 
well  as  those  of  her  contemporaries  and  acquaintances,  published  in 
1915  in  authentic  reliable  form  by  Archbishop  Gauthey,  will  be  of 
notable  assistance  to  us.  A  few  remarks  concerning  this  latest  and 
only  authentic  edition  of  the  life  and  works  of  the  Beata,  will  not 
be  out  of  place  at  this  point. 

Archbishop  Gauthey  admits  that  the  first  two  editions  of  the  life 
and  works  of  Blessed  Margaret  Mary  were  not  of  such  character  as 
would  stand  the  search-light  of  modern  historical  criticism.  There- 
fore, realizing  the  deep  interest  recently  awakened  in  the  incidents 


REFERRING  TO  THE  GREAT  PROMISE  179 


which  took  place  in  the  life  of  the  Beata,  he  decided  to  edit  this 
present  work,  scientific  both  in  its  appearance  and  in  the  execution 
of  the  plan  proposed.  It  is  deserving  of  trust,  for  it  is  compiled 
with  the  care  modern  critics  require  of  a  scientist.1  It  was  the 
various  interpolations  of  the  two  editions  of  1867  and  1876  whose 
source  was  not  ascertainable  that  induced  him  to  engage  in  his 
present  undertaking.2 

The  Prefaces  which  he  contributed  to  the  Memoir  and  the  letters 
of  the  Beata  as  well  as  to  the  Vie  par  les  Contemporaines  are  of  the 
utmost  importance,  because  in  it  he  imparts  all  the  general  informa- 
tion that  can  be  gathered  from  reliable  authentic  sources.  In  this 
work  the  letter  on  which  the  Great  Promise  is  based  is  found  in  two 
distinct  places,  viz.,  in  the  first  volume,  p.  261,  and  in  the  second 
volume,  p.  397.  We  deem  it  necessary  to  give  some  consideration 
to  these  references  individually. 

The  first  volume  contains  a  Memoir  composed  by  Les  Contempor- 
aines. The  authors  of  this  manuscript  Memoir  are  two  Sisters  who 
lived  contemporaneously  with  Blessed  Margaret  Mary,  had  the 
privilege  of  being  her  intimate  friends,  and  that  of  being  present  at 
her  death-bed.  It  is  this  document  which  was  subjected  to  so  many 
variations  and  interpolations  not  only  at  the  hands  of  many 
spiritual  writers  since  1715,  but  the  Visitandines  themselves. 
For  the  first  time  in  its  history,  it  was  edited  without 
any  additions  or  abbreviations.  An  opportunity  is  thus  given  us  to 

1  "Une  edition  completee  et  amelioree,  selon  les  exigences  de  la  critique  et 
avec  tous  les  soins  qu'exige  la  reproduction  fidele  des  manuscrits.  II  fallait 
donner  a  la  nouvelle  edition  1'appareil  scientifique  capable  de  faire  autorite." 
(Preface  Generate,  Vie  et  Oeuvres,  torn.  I,  pp.  10  and  11.) 

'"Les  editions  (1867  et  1876)  avaient  intercale  dans  son  texte  tous  les 
autres  documents  contemporains  qu'on  avait  trouves.  Ce  travail  n'etait  plus 
une  oeuvre  authentique,  de  premiere  main.  On  ne  pouvait  savoir  d'ou  venaient 
certains  recits,  certaines  citations,  et  quelle  etait  leur  autorite."  (Vie  et 
Oeuvres  de  la  Bienheureuse  Marguerite-Marie,  ed.  1915,  torn.  I,  p.  12.) 


180  IMPORT  OF  THE  PRIVATE  REVELATION 

acquaint  ourselves  with  the  order,  style,  chronology  and  the  spirit 
of  the  two  Contemporaries.1 

In  the  second  volume  of  this  work,  p.  397,  another  reference  is 
found  to  the  Great  Promise.  The  letter  of  the  Beata  addressed  to 
Mother  de  Saumaise  is  published  here  in  its  entirety.  Following  are 
the  points  to  be  noted  in  connection  with  this  letter. 

It  is  quoted  from  a  manuscript  which  is  not  that  of  Blessed  Mar- 
garet Mary.  An  investigation  will  discover  that  there  are  five 
different  collections  of  manuscripts,  scattered  in  various  places 
from  which  a  knowledge  may  be  gained  as  to  the  writings  of  the 
Beata.  These  manuscripts  are  designated  by  the  numbers  3,  6,  7, 
8,  and  9.  In  this  series  of  manuscripts  Archbishop  Gauthey  gives 
preference  to  the  collection  which  is  marked  number  6.  It  contains 
those  writings  of  Blessed  Margaret  Mary  which  Mother  de  Sau- 
maise preserved,  and  which  are  supposed  to  have  been  copied  from 
the  original.  All  these  have  been  penned  by  Sister  Peronne-Rosalie 
de  Farges.  It  is  possible  that  the  same  letter  may  occur  in  3  or  t  of 
the  above  collections  of  manuscripts.  Thus  the  letter  referring  to  the 
Great  Promise  is  found  in  No.  6,  p.  128 ;  in  No.  3,  p.  5 ;  in  No.  8, 
p.  43 ;  and  in  No.  9,  p.  23.  Besides  this  an  Italian  translation  of  it 
which  was  made  in  Rome  in  1828  or  1829  is  also  extant. 

In  1715  a  total  of  97  letters  was  submitted  to  the  Sacred  Congre- 
gation. These  letters  were  afterwards  returned  to  the  Visitandines. 
When  in  1818  the  process  of  the  Beatification  of  Blessed  Margaret 
Mary  was  again  resumed,  only  68  of  the  above  letters  were  re- 


*  "C'est  1'oeuvre  integrate  des  dites  Contemporaines,  que  nous  publions,  pour 
la  premiere  fois,  dans  sa  simplicite  authentique,  telle  quelle  est  sortie  de  leur 
plume.  Nous  avons  retranche  tout  ce  qui  y  avait  ete  intercale  ou  ajoute,  dans 
les  editions  precedentes,  pour  le  remettre  ailleurs,  chaque  morceau  a  sa  place 
documentaire."  (Vie  et  Oeuvres,  ed.  1915,  pp.  34  and  35.) 


REFERRING  TO  THE  GREAT  PROMISE  181 

covered.  These  were  handed  to  the  Sacred  Congregation,  and  trans- 
lated into  Italian.1  In  one  of  the  preceding  paragraphs  a  passing 
reference  has  been  made  to  these  letters,  and  it  has  been  pointed  out 
that  out  of  27  letters  which  Blessed  Margaret  Mary  wrote  to  Mother 
de  Saumaise,  and  which  were  collected  in  1715,  not  a  single  one  was 
autographic.  Therefore,  it  is  safe  to  conclude  that  the  letter  in 
question  was  submitted  to  the  Sacred  Congregation  only  in  a  copied 
form  that  might  indeed  have  been  transcribed  from  the  original.  The 
difficulty  that  presents  itself  here  is  one  that  is  not  likely  to  be  solved 
at  any  future  time.  If  of  the  97  letters  collected  in  1715  they  pre- 
sented 58  autographs  to  the  Ecclesiastical  Superiors  in  Rome,  why 
did  they  submit  only  the  copies  of  those  27  letters  which  Blessed 
Margaret  Mary  directed  to  Mother  de  Saumaise.  The  natural 
inference  would  be  that  even  at  that  period  these  autographs  must 
have  been  lost.  No  other  explanation  can  justify  the  action  of  the 
Visitandines.  In  this  supposition  the  Italian  translation  fails  to  add 
any  weight  to  the  authenticity  of  the  letter  in  question,  for  it  is  only 
the  translation  of  a  copied  letter.  The  above  statement  seems  to  be 
tacitly  corroborated  by  Bishop  Languet,  who,  though  to  all  likeli- 
hood having  access  to  most  if  not  all  the  autographic  documents  then 
extant,  fails  to  quote  the  contents  of  the  letter  in  its  original  word- 
ing, and  prefers  to  explain  them  in  a  narrative  way. 


1  Vie  et  Oeuvres,  ed.  1915,  torn.  II,  pp.  9  and  10. 


CHAPTER  XV. 


OUR   CONCLUSIONS   AS  REGARDS   THE   GREAT   PROMISE. 


In  view  of  the  facts  thus  far  presented  one  is  justified  in  stating 
that  the  evidence  as  to  the  historicity  of  the  letter  in  question  is 
inconclusive.  It  is  likewise  true  that,  on  the  ground  of  the  evidence 
adduced,  not  a  few  writers  are  inclined  to  pronounce  in  favor  of  its 
authenticity.  There  is  another  class  of  spiritual  writers  who  main- 
tain that  not  the  slightest  doubt  can  be  entertained  as  to  the  his- 
toricity of  the  letter  in  question.  Needless  to  say,  that  this  last  class 
of  writers  cannot  find  a  sufficient  warrant  to  vindicate  such  a 
position. 

From  the  perusal  of  accessible  evidence  it  seems  fairly  certain  that 
Blessed  Margaret  Mary  actually  wrote  a  letter  in  which  she  advo- 
cated a  devotion  similar  to  the  present  Devotion  of  the  Nine  Fri- 
days. This  may  be  concluded  from  the  various  versions  of  the 
present  letter  which,  though  transcribed  at  different  times  and  pre- 
served at  different  places,  agree  in  substance  as  to  the  spiritual 
exercises  and  the  reward  to  be  expected.  Since,  however,  the  auto- 
graphic document  containing  an  authentic  exposition  of  the  revela- 
tion by  the  words  of  its  Authoress  is  lost,  and  knownig  full  well 
that  in  the  course  of  its  recopying,  notwithstanding  the  care  exer- 
cised by  the  copyist,  even  unintentional  mistakes  are  bound  to  creep 
in,  we  are  confronted  with  the  doubt  whether  we  possess  the  word- 
ing of  the  letter  as  framed  by  the  Beata.  Whatever  may  be  the 

182 


OUR  CONCLUSIONS  AS  REGARDS  THE  GREAT  PROMISE  183 


nature  of  this  doubt,  it  would  hardly  justify  an  absolute  rejection  of 
every  factor  connected  with  the  Great  Promise.  Therefore,  until 
a  more  convincing  evidence  is  adduced  in  favor  of  the  letter's  authen- 
ticity, we  must  consider  the  document  as  doubtful.  Prudence  would 
dictate  not  to  reject  it  entirely,  but  to  make  such  use  of  it  as  the 
circumstances  would  warrant,  provided  it  be  interpreted  in  con- 
formity with  sound  theological  principles. 

Father  Hamon  maintains,  that  none  of  the  essential  features  of  the 
Great  Promise  have  been  subjected  to  a  change,  as  for  instance, 
communion  on  the  first  nine  Fridays  for  nine  consecutive  months, 
the  grace  of  final  repentance,  not  to  die  without  their  sacraments, 
but  there  is  no  criterion  which  would  justify  such  an  admission  as 
regards  the  other  words.  Again,  it  is  a  well  known  fact  that  the  con- 
tents of  the  letter  are  of  such  nature,  that  even  the  most  insignificant 
modification,  like  the  one  introduced  by  Bishop  Languet,  is  cal- 
culated to  be  the  cause  of  a  notable  change  in  its  interpretation. 

That  Bishop  Languet  was  in  a  better  position  than  any  other  in- 
dividual in  his  time,  or  since,  to  ascertain  some  of  the  facts  concern- 
ing this  letter,  hardly  anybody  would  deny.  That  he  gave  a  mature 
consideration  to  the  life  he  wrote  is  evidenced  by  his  letters  published 
in  the  first  volume  of  the  1915  edition  of  Vie  et  Oeuvres  de  la  Bien- 
heureuse  Marguerite-Marie,  pp.  619-626.  Throughout  our  research 
into  this  problem  we  met  with  no  warrant  which  would  justify  the 
supposition  that  the  Visitandines  invented  the  revelation  in  ques- 
tion, and,  to  give  it  more  weight,  framed  an  imaginary  letter.  To 
accuse  Bishop  Languet  of  a  similar  crime  would  be  equivalent  to  con- 
tradicting all  the  traits  of  his  character  made  public  by  contemporary 
documents.  He  was  a  man  endowed  with  a  sensitive  conscience, 
rare  gifts  of  mind,  mature  judgment  and  a  high  regard  for  the  opin- 
ion of  others.  He  hesitated  at  first  to  associate  his  name  with  the 
life  of  Blessed  Margaret  Mary,  fearing  the  ridicule  of  the  sceptic 
age  in  which  he  lived.  But,  finally,  he  acceded  to  the  entreaties  of 


184  OUR  CONCLUSIONS  AS  REGARDS  THE  GREAT  PROMISE 


Sister  Peronne-Rosalie  de  Farges,  and  "all  Europe  knew  that  the  life 
of  the  servant  of  the  Sacred  Heart,  already  so  calumniated,  was  edit- 
ed by  the  Bishop  of  Soissons,  a  member  of  the  French  Academy/'1 

At  the  reading  of  the  book  the  Jansenists,  the  philosophers,  a  num- 
ber of  Catholics,  and  even  some  Bishops  covered  their  faces  "ridicul- 
ing religion  and  dishonoring  piety.2"  The  blasphemous  lawyer  Bar- 
bier  noted  in  his  journal :  "M.  Languet,  Bishop  of  Soissons,  wrote 
the  greatest  folly  imaginable,  the  life  of  Marie  Alacoque."2  Mgr. 
Languet's  membership  in  the  French  Academy  testifies  to  his  learn- 
ing, while  his  elevation  to  the  Episcopate  and  his  writings  give  ample 
evidence  to  holiness  of  life  and  to  the  estimation  he  enjoyed  in  the 
eyes  of  his  contemporaries  both  clerical  and  lay.  Therefore,  whether 
he  possessed  the  document  in  question  or  received  his  information 
from  another  trustworthy  source  he  could  not  be  accused  of  imposi- 
tion, which  imputation  would  be  justifiable  had  he  published  such  a 
statement  without  sufficient  warrant.  This  is  the  only  possible  way 
by  which  his  allusion  to  the  Great  Promise  can  be  explained.  His 
character  as  portrayed  by  Father  Hamon  on  the  strength  of  con- 
temporary documents,  would  militate  against  any  attempt  at  decep- 
tion. In  our  opinion  this  is  an  additional  reason  which  ought  to  in- 
duce one  to  pronounce  in  favor  of  a  letter  similar  to  the  one  in 
question.  Nor  is  there  anything  that  would  militate  against  accept- 
ing Bishop  Languet's  rendition  of  the  Great  Promise. 

Another  indirect  proof  favoring  the  letter's  authenticity  may  be 
drawn  from  the  following  circumstance.  On  Jan.  22,  1687,  Blessed 
Margaret  Mary  wrote  a  letter  to  her  sick  brother  who  was  a  parish 
priest.  This  letter  was  written  about  16  months  prior  to  the  date  of 


1  HAMON,  in  the  Etudes  ReL,  torn.  XCI,  p.  727. 

*  HAMON,  Loc.  cit.,  p.  727. 

8  "M.  Languet,  eveque  de  Soissons  et  frere  du  Cure  de  Sain-Sulpice,  a  fait 
la  plus  grande  sottise  qu'il  pouvait  faire,  la  vie  de  Marie  Alacoque.  (HAMON, 
in  the  Etudes  ReL,  vol.  XCI,  p.  727). 


OUR  CONCLUSIONS  AS  REGARDS  THE  GREAT  PROMISE  185 


the  epistle  containing  the  revelation  of  the  Great  Promise.  Having 
at  heart  her  brother's  restoration  to  health,  she  sent  him  a  remedy  by 
means  of  which  she  hoped  to  accomplish  it.  In  a  letter  dispatched 
simultaneously  she  instructed  him  to  take  this  restorative  for  nine 
days  while  fasting,  also  to  say  or  have  nine  masses  said  for  nine 
Saturdays  in  honor  of  the  Immaculate  Conception  of  the  Blessed 
Virgin  Mary,  and  nine  Masses  of  the  Passion  for  nine  Fridays 
in  honor  of  the  Sacred  Heart  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.1 

This  same  letter  may  be  found  in  the  authentic  1915  edition  of  her 
works  by  Archbishop  Gauthey.2.  The  number  under  which  it  is 
printed  in  this  work  is  UX.  Its  autograph  is  not  extant.  The  col- 
lection of  manuscript  letters  from  which  it  was  reprinted  is  desig- 
nated by  number  8,  and  our  letter  is  found  on  page  165. 

From  this  letter  it  is  manifest  that,  for  reasons  known  only  to 
herself,  and  not  explained  in  her  writings,  she  attached  a  special 
significance  to  the  number  which  so  frequently  occurs  in  it,  viz.,  the 
number  nine.  Nor  would  it  suffice  to  dismiss  this  evidence  by  point- 
ing out  the  fact  that  novena  is  an  old  institution  in  the  history  of 
mankind.  It  is  true  that  a  trace  of  it  can  be  found  even  among  the 
Romans  in  their  festivities  claled  parentalia  novendialia.  It  must 
also  be  admitted  that  in  the  Christian  mortuary  celebrations  the 
ninth  day  is  accepted  by  the  Constitutiones  Apostolicae  3  and  placed 
on  the  same  rank  with  the  third  and  the  seventh  day.  In  France, 
Belgium  and  the  Lower  Rhine,  the  custom  arose  of  making  a  novena 
to  a  certain  saint  in  order  to  recover  one's  health.  This  would  only 


*"De  plus,  nous  avons  promis  que  vous  prendriez  pendant  neuf  jours  les 
billets  que  je  vous  envoye,  un  chaque  jour  a  jeun,  et  que  vous  diriez  ou  feriez 
dire  neuf  Messes  durant  neuf  samedis  a  1'honneur  de  rimmaculee  Conception 
de  la  tres  sainte  Vierge  Marie,  Mere  de  Dieu,  et  autant  de  Messes  de  la 
Passion  pendant  neuf  Vendredis,  a  1'honneur  du  Sacre  Coeur  de  Notre  Seig- 
neur Jesus-Christ."  (LANGUST,  op.  cit.,  Paris,  1729,  liv.  X,  p.  382.) 

1  Vie  et  Oeuvres  ,ed.  1915,  vol.  II.,  p.  344. 

8  P.  G.,  vol.  I,  col.  1147,  lib.  VIII,  cap.  XLJI. 


186  OUR  CONCLUSIONS  AS  REGARDS  THE  GREAT  PROMISE 

explain  why  Blessed  Margaret  Mary  suggested  a  novena  to  her  sick 
brother. 

But,  up  to  the  time  of  the  Beata,  as  far  as  we  could  ascertain,  a 
novena  implied  a  devotional  exercise  to  be  performed  nine  consecu- 
tive days.  Such  was  its  import  even  among  the  pagans.  Therefore, 
this  practice  in  itself  would  fail  to  explain  sufficiently  why  Blessed 
Margaret  Mary  specified  nine  successive  Fridays  for  her  brother, 
and  not  nine  consecutive  days. 

Be  that  as  it  may,  the  significance  she  attached  to  this  number  is 
quite  manifest.  It  is  likewise  clear  that  novena  as  it  was  interpreted 
in  the  time  of  Blessed  Margaret  Mary  does  not  satisfactorily 
explain  her  mind  in  this  particular  case.  It  is  the  fact  that  she  con- 
nected this  number  with  nine  consecutive  Fridays  which  must  be 
emphasized. 

Friday  is  a  day  appropriated  for  the  Passion  of  Christ.  It  was 
the  Friday  after  the  Octave  of  Corpus  Christi  that  Christ  designated 
as  the  proper  time  to  solemnize  the  Feast  of  the  Sacred  Heart.  It 
was  on  the  first  Fridays  of  each  month,  that  He  asked  her  to  make 
amends  and  reparation  in  honor  of  the  suffering  Heart,  and  to  in- 
duce others  to  do  so.  All  these  considerations  are  calculated  to  shed 
some  rays  of  light  on  the  question  why  she  would  specify  nine  Fri- 
days for  the  Great  Promise,  instead  of  other  days.  They  may  also 
be  adduced  as  an  indirect  proof  in  favor  of  the  assumption  that  she 
actually  may  have  written  a  letter  similar  to  the  one  attributed  to  her, 
in  which  she  attached  such  a  special  importance  to  nine  First  Friday 
Communions. 

Whether  she  was  really  favored  with  a  revelation  to  this  effect, 
is  a  question  which  no  man  can  answer  with  certainty.  If,  however, 
one  would  admit  that  she  wrote  such  a  letter,  it  is  to  be  presumed 
that,  owing  to  the  holy  life  she  led,  she  must  have  been  in  good  faith, 
to  say  the  least,  when  she  laid  claim  to  such  an  unparalleled  com- 
munication. 


OUR  CONCLUSIONS  AS  REGARDS  THE  GREAT  PROMISE  187 


Whether  such  a  letter  was  written  by  her  or  not,  is  a  question 
which  cannot  be  solved  at  present.  Judging  from  all  the  indications 
she  would  likely  do  so,  but  even  then  a  doubt  remains  as  to  its  orig- 
inal wording.  Since,  however,  there  is  a  document  for  which  some 
claim  an  undoubted  historicity,  it  is  necessary  to  submit  it  to  ex- 
amination in  the  following  pages. 

We  fail  to  agree  with  Father  Bachelet's  assertion  that  the  account 
of  Bishop  Languet  is  in  no  way  dubitative.1  On  the  contrary,  it 
would  seem  that  the  clause  of  reserve  which  his  account  of  the 
Twelfth  Promise  contains,  is  more  striking  even  than  that  of  the 
other  versions.  It  must  be  admitted  that  he  words :  Si  elle  ne  se 
trompe,  characteristic  of  all  the  other  formulas,  are  omitted  from  it, 
but  they  are  supplanted  by  the  terms :  Hn  lui  faisant  esperer  (He  led 
her  to  hope).  Furthermore,  we  contend  that  the  above  words 
which  precede  Bishop  Languet's  rendition  of  the  Twelfth  Promise 
ought  to  be  used  as  explanatory  of  the  words  preceding  the  promise 
as  given  in  all  other  versions,  viz.,  Si  elle  ne  se  trompe.  After  due 
consideration  given  to  this  matter  there  is  good  ground  to  suppose 
that  the  clause  of  reserve  in  connection  with  this  promise  was  not 
used  in  submission  to  Mother  Greyfie's  injunction,  but  is  actually  ex- 
pressive of  a  hesitancy  as  to  whether  Blessed  Margaret  Mary  in- 
terpreted the  revelation  correctly  or  not.  The  fact  that  she  failed 
to  attach  any  special  significance  to  this  incident  of  her  life,  that  for 
almost  three  years  she  failed  to  communicate  it  to  others,  for  no 
records  can  be  found  which  would  lead  us  to  believe  that  she  made 
mention  of  it  in  any  other  writings  or  viva  voce,  goes  to  corrobor- 
ate the  above  conclusion.  The  attitude  she  displayed  towards  this 
revelation  is  so  different  from  what  one  would  ordinarily  expect  of 
her,  that  nothing  but  a  doubt  as  to  its  full  comprehension  can  ex- 


^e    recit    nullement    dubitatif    de    Mgr.    Languet.      Etudes    Rel,    torn, 
LXXXVIII,  p.  387. 


188  OUR  CONCLUSIONS  AS  REGARDS  THE  GREAT  PROMISE 


plain  it.  Had  she  been  absolutely  certain  of  the  assurance  of  such 
extraordinary  graces  she  would  not  have  failed  to  stimulate  the 
devotees  of  the  Sacred  Heart  to  avail  themselves  of  a  devotion 
blessed  with  such  far-reaching  spiritual  consequences.  Nor  is  there 
any  reason  why  her  attitude  towards  this  particular  revelation  should 
assume  such  a  striking  contrast  to  her  general  disposition  of  mind. 

The  account  of  Bishop  Languet's  version  of  the  Great  Promise 
can  be  rendered  into  English  as  follows.  In  another  letter  she  pre- 
scribed a  practice  for  honoring  the  Heart  of  Jesus  Christ,  a  prac- 
tice which  to  her  was  familiar,  and  which  was  suggested  to  her  by 
Our  Lord,  in  leading  her  t&  hope  for  the  grace  of  final  repentance, 
and  for  that  of  receiving  the  Sacraments  of  the  Church  before^ 
dying,  for  all  those  who  would  make  use  of  it.  It  was  that  of  mak- 
ing a  novena  of  Communions  for  that  intention,  and  for  honoring 
the  heart  of  Jesus  Christ;  in  placing  each  of  these  Communions  on 
every  First  Friday  of  the  month  for  nine  consecutive  months.* 

From  this  it  is  manifest  that  Bishop  Languet's  version  contains  all 
the  essential  characteristics  of  the  Great  Promise.  The  practice  sug- 
gested by  Our  Lord  was  that  of  going  to  Holy  Communion  the  first 
Friday  of  each  month  for  nine  consecutive  months.  The  intention 
one  is  to  form  when  engaging  in  this  devotion  is  to  honor  the  Heart 
of  Christ,  and  to  hope  to  receive  the  grace  of  final  repentance  and 
the  Sacraments  of  the  church  before  dying.  In  our  opinion  a  great 
stress  must  be  laid  on  the  introductory  words  of  the  Great  Promise, 
viz.,  En  lui  faisant  esperer.  These  are  to  be  taken  as  the  determin- 

1  "Dans  une  autre  Lettre  elle  present  une  pratique  pour  honorer  le  Coeur  de 
Jesus-Christ;  pratique  qui  lui  etoit  familiere,  &  que  Notre  Seigneur  lui  avait 
suggeree,  en  lui  faisant  esperer  la  grace  de  la  penitence  finale,  &  celle  de 
recevoir  les  Sacremens  de  TEglise  avant  que  de  mourir,  pour  ceux  qui 
1'observeroient.  C'etoit  de  faire  une  neuvaine  de  Communion  a  cette  in- 
tention &  pour  honorer  le  Coeur  de  Jesus-Christ,  en  plagant  chacune  de  ces 
Communions  a  chaque  premier  vendredi  du  mois,  pendant  neuf  mois  de  suite." 
(LANGUET,  La  Vie  de  la  Venerable  Mere  Marguerite-Marie,  liv.  VII,  pp.  241 
and  242,  Paris,  1729.) 


OUR  CONCLUSIONS  AS  REGARDS  THE  GREAT  PROMISE  189 


ants  of  its  general  efficacy  as  a  whole,  as  modifying,  to  some 
extent,  all  the  rewards  promised  by  it.  They  clearly  indicate  the 
idea  of  hope,  not  of  absolute  infallible  assurance ;  of  humble  expec- 
tation, and  not  of  unfailing  irrevocable  guarantee,  as  the  advocates  of 
the  third  mode  of  interpretation  are  in  the  habit  of  asserting.  The 
spiritual  benefit  that  may  accrue  to  the  recipient  of  the  nine  Holy 
Communions  is  not  the  grace  of  perseverance  in  good  during  the 
period  intervening  before  the  completion  of  the  devotion  and  the 
hour  of  death,  but  only  the  grace  of  final  repentance.  This  pious 
expectation,  the  verification  of  which,  with  humble  confidence  may 
be  piously  anticipated,  in  no  way  nullifies  the  efficacy  of  the  Great 
Promise,  nor  would  this  revelation  be  rendered  worthless  on  ac- 
count of  it.  Christ,  by  extending  the  prospect  of  greater  good,  ob- 
liged Himself,  so  to  speak,  to  be  more  generous  than  He  would  have 
been  had  He  not  imparted  such  a  supernatural  manifestation. 

This  interpretation  may  be  considered  as  a  compromise  between 
the  two  contending  factions,  one  of  which  invests  the  Great  Promise 
with  an  absolute  infallible  efficacy  while  the  other  rejects  it  entirely 
by  denying  its  authenticity.  Our  presentation  of  it  does  not  destroy 
the  sanguine  expectations  of  the  advocates  of  the  third  mode  of 
interpretation,  for  all  the  effects  might  follow  just  as  unfailingly. 
However,  it  would  be  more  compatible  with  our  state  as  sinful  crea- 
tures, only  to  hope  for  such  a  remuneration  rather  than  feel  that 
through  any  action  of  ours  we  have  acquired  an  inalienable 
right  to  its  infallible  fulfilment.  The  propagation  of  the  Great 
Promise  in  this  sense  may  be  made  without  any  fear  of  being  mis- 
understood. It  is  calculated  to  produce  as  much  spiritual  good  as  the 
other  form,  which  is  not  credited  by  many  because,  as  a  well-known 
and  highly  respected  ecclesiastic  puts  it,  "it  is  so  incredibly  unreal." 

There  are  some  devotional  writers  who  in  their  fervor  maintain 


McNABB,  American  Cath.  Quarterly,  vol.  XXVIII,  p.  752. 


190  OUR  CONCLUSIONS  AS  REGARDS  THE  GREAT  PROMISE 


that  by  means  of  the  Devotion  of  the  Nine  Fridays  one  acquires  a 
right  de  condigno  to  a  reward  which  consists  in  the  grace  of  final 
perseverance.  It  is  hard  to  see  where  they  can  find  a  theological 
justification  for  a  belief  advocating  such  an  infallible  granting  of  the 
above  grace.  Is  it  likely  that  such  a  reward  would  be  given  by  God 
in  exchange  for  the  performance  of  so  few  spiritual  acts  occupying 
so  small  a  portion  of  man's  whole  life  ?  Again,  the  life  of  those  who 
have  made  the  Nine  Fridays,  even  apparently  with  the  best  of  inten- 
tions, as  far  as  human  judgment  can  penetrate,  are  far  from  being 
free  from  future  acts  that  jeopardize  their  salvation.  It  is  true  that 
even  some  of  those  writers  who  invest  the  Great  Promise  with  an 
absolute  efficacy  discountenance  the  assertion  that  such  a  reward  is 
the  result  of  merit  on  our  part.  Furthermore,  they  are  loath  to  admit 
that  one  has  a  strict  right  to  such  a  signal  remuneration.  Some  of 
them  refer  us  to  the  infinite  mercy  of  the  Sacred  Heart  as  the  exclu- 
sive fountain-head  from  which  this  magnanimous  spiritual  recom- 
pense flows  freely  without  any  merit  on  our  part. 

But,  could  it  not  be  remarked  that  their  insistence  on  the  infallible 
bestowal  of  the  promised  grace  emphasizes  on  our  part  a  certain 
right  to  expect  it  as  a  reward  acquired  by  acts  performed,  and  on  the 
part  of  God  a  certain  obligation  to  grant  it?  If  it  will  be  given  in- 
fallibly, then  God  is  not  free  to  refuse  it.  If  He  be  not  free  to  refuse 
it,  then  we  acquire  a  right  to  it.  Yet,  some  of  the  advocates  of  the 
third  mode  of  interpretation  would  under  no  consideration  admit 
such  a  right.  However,  if  they  were  consistent  they  should  not 
fail  to  designate  this  reward  of  final  perseverance  as  a  right  acquired 
by  the  performance  of  certain  prescribed  acts,  and  by  the  compliance 
with  certain  demanded  conditions.  All  the  conditions  required  to 
merit  such  a  grace  de  condigno,  can  be  pointed  out  in  the  case  under 
discussion. 

To  merit  such  a  grace  de  condigno  it  is  necessary  that  the  recipient 
of  the  nine  Holy  Communions  be  in  the  state  of  sanctifying  grace 


OUR  CONCLUSIONS  AS  REGARDS  THE  GREAT  PROMISE  191 


while  a  member  of  the  Church  militant.  The  work  in  which  he  en- 
gages must  be  (1)  free  from  all  coercion;  (2)  good  as  to  its  ob- 
ject, end  and  circumstances;  and  (3)  supernatural.  On  the  part 
of  God  there  is  required  an  explicit  promise  of  a  special  reward  at- 
tached to  a  special  work.  Now,  all  these  conditions  are  verified 
absolutely  in  the  case  of  one  who  with  the  proper  intention  and  dis- 
position performs  the  Devotion  of  the  Nine  Fridays.  The  conclu- 
sion is  that  he  merits  the  grace  of  final  perseverance  de  condigno. 

Nor  is  there  any  necessity  of  insisting  on  a  due  proportion  between 
the  good  works  performed  and  the  reward  promised,  as  maintained 
by  the  writer  of  the  article  a  Ground  of  Hope*  It  is  well  known 
that  the  reason  for  condign  merit  may  arise  from  two  sources,  viz., 
justice  and  fidelity.  While  a  due  proportion  between  the  good  act 
and  the  merit  is  requisite  in  the  case  of  the  former,  the  promise, 
which  as  they  contend  was  made  by  Christ,  supplies  what  is  wanting 
in  case  of  fidelity. 

From  this  reasoning  it  should  be  legitimately  concluded  that  the 
grace  of  final  perseverance  is  actually  merited  de  condigno  by  one 
who  complies  with  all  the  conditions  of  the  Great  Promise.  At  least 
such  a  conclusion  can  be  reached  if  the  principles  of  some  of  the  ad- 
vocates of  the  third  mode  of  interpretation  are  carried  to  their  logic- 
al synthesis.  This,  however,  plainly  conflicts  with  the  general  uni- 
form teaching  of  the  theologians,  who  unanimously  deny  that  the 
grace  of  final  perseverance  can  be  merited  de  condigno.  It  is  true 
that  some  admit  the  possibility  of  such  a  merit  de  congruo  fallibili, 
but  only  by  frequent  good  acts  often  repeated  throughout  one's 
whole  life. 

"Furthermore,"  says  Father  Hurter,  "if  the  just  could  merit  the 
grace  (final  perseverance),  and  would  still  remain  exposed  to  the 
danger  of  losing  it,  then,  he  failed  to  merit  in  the  proper  sense. 


1  American  Mess,  of  the  Sacred  Heart,  1898,  p.  159. 


192  OUR  CONCLUSIONS  AS  REGARDS  THE  GREAT  PROMISE 


While,  on  the  other  hand,  the  supposition  that  he  could  merit  it  so 
as  to  exclude  the  possibility  of  forfeiture  seems  to  involve  a  contra- 
diction with  the  Sacred  Scripture  and  the  Church."1  Even  if  this 
grace  of  final  perseverance  should  be  confined  only  to  the  last  few 
moments  of  man's  terrestrial  life,  not  all  the  difficulties  would  be  re- 
moved thereby.  Such  a  supposition  would  affect  only  the  duration  of 
the  grace  but  leaving  its  nature  intact. 

In  the  face  of  all  these  difficulties  it  is  easy  to  see  how  a  more 
conservative  theologian  would  reject  the  idea  of  the  grace  of  final 
perseverance  both  in  its  active  and  passive  sense,  and  would 
substitute  for  it  the  grace  of  final  repentance.  Father  Bachelet  in 
his  oft-quoted  article  does  not  hesitate  to  state  that  those  who  after 
the  completion  of  the  novena  of  worthy  Communions  avoid  all 
mortal  sins  can,  on  their  death-bed,  claim  this  reward  as  their  right. 
He  denies  the  same  right  to  those  who  were  actuated  by  a  good  in- 
tention when  they  engaged  in  the  Devotion  of  the  Nine  Fridays  but, 
through  human  frailty,  deviated  from  the  path  of  virtue  in  time 
subsequent  to  its  completion. 

In  our  opinion,  no  sufficient  warrant  can  be  found  to  justify  such 
a  discrimination  between  the  two  classes,  if  we  take  it  for  granted 
that  the  promise  was  actually  made,  and  the  wording  in  which 
it  is  couched  expresses  the  proper  scope  of  the  revelation.  These 
two  classes,  therefore,  may  entertain  an  equal  hope  as  regards  the 
reception  of  the  grace  of  final  repentance.  The  text  of  the  Great 
Promise  does  not  concern  itself  with  the  life  led  in  time  posterior  to 
the  fulfilment  of  the  condition  required.  Therefore,  it  may  be  justly 
concluded,  that  since  it  presupposes  only  a  faithful  compliance  with 
certain  demanded  conditions  and  dispositions,  the  infinite  mercy  of 


1  "Praeterea,  vel  iustus  ita  meret  hoc  donum,  ut  ipsum  iterum  possit  amittere, 
et  tune  illud  proprie  non  merit;  vel  ita  meret,  ut  illud  nequeat  amplius  amit- 
tere; hoc  autem  videtur  contra  sensum  Scripturae  et  Eccclesiae."  (Theologiae 
Dogmaticae  Compendium,  torn.  Ill,  ed.  1903,  p.  202.) 


OUR  CONCLUSIONS  AS  REGARDS  THE  GREAT  PROMISE  193 

the  Sacred  Heart  will  extend  the  same  privilege  to  both  the  above 
classes  indiscriminately.  Nor  is  it  our  intention  to  reduce  the  two 
classes  to  a  rank  of  equality  as  regards  all  their  subsequent  deserts 
and  rewards.  We  merely  mean  to  intimate  that  the  grace  of  final 
repentance  is  a  common  acquisition  of  both.  Would  it  be  out  of 
place  to  say  that  a  promise  of  this  nature  is  likely  to  have  been  made 
in  behalf  of  the  frail,  not  obstinate,  sinners  rather  than  for  the  sake 
of  the  just? 

However,  no  man  can  be  too  much  on  his  guard  in  this  lenient 
interpretation,  no  matter  how  plausible  it  may  appear.  It  must  be 
borne  in  mind  that  this  document  is  dubious.  Though  there  might 
be  a  sufficient  evidence  to  justify  its  acceptation,  still,  there  is  no- 
thing absolutely  certain  in  connection  with  it.  The  wording  and  the 
revelation  are  alike  doubtful.  Therefore,  we  must  not  place  any 
more  trust  in  it  than  the  circumstances  would  warrant.  It  ought  to 
be  advocated  only  as  an  encouragement  to  make  the  Nine  Fridays  and 
thus  to  make  use  of  all  the  possible  means  that  are  calculated  to  make 
our  salvation  secure.  One  should  never  speak  of  it  as  an  absolute 
assurance.  On  the  contrary  it  is  imperative  to  accentuate  the  words 
of  Blessed  Margaret  Mary  found  in  one  of  the  letters  to  Father 
Croiset  dated  Sept.  15,  1689.  In  this  it  is  stated  emphatically 
that  the  Sacred  Heart  will  be  our  assured  refuge  at  the  moment  of 
death,  but,  in  order  to  be  found  worthy  of  such  an  exceptional 
blessing,  we  must  have  lived  in  conformity  with  His  holy  maxims.1 

As  to  the  second  reward,  viz.,  the  Sacraments,  it  is  admitted  on  all 
sides  that  they  are  only  of  secondary  consideration,  in  case  the  first 
reward,  viz.,  the  grace  of  final  repentance,  has  already  been  granted. 
If  during  the  period  intervening  between  the  completion  of  the 
Nine  Fridays  and  the  hour  of  death  one  fell  from  the  grace  of  God, 


J  "II  leur  sera  un  asile  assure  a  1'heure  de  la  mort,  pour  les  recevoir  et  les 
defendre  de  leurs  ennemis,  mais  pour  cela,  il  faut  vivre  conformement  a  ses 
saintes  maximes."  (BACHELET,  Etudes  ReL,  vol.  LXXXVIII,  p.  392.) 


194  OUR  CONCLUSIONS  AS  REGARDS  THE  GREAT  PROMISE 


the  grace  of  final  repentance  will  unquestionably  suffice  to  make  his 
salvation  sure.  Therefore,  we  cannot  expect,  either  in  justice 
or  right,  such  superrogatory  benefits  from  God  as  the  reception  of 
the  Sacraments  would  be.  in  case  the  grace  of  final  repentance  has 
already  been  bestowed.  If,  however,  the  circumstances  be  such  as 
to  necessitate  the  actual  reception  of  the  Sacrament  of  penance,  as 
the  only  means  through  the  instrumentality  of  which  one  could  be 
restored  to  the  grace  of  God,  then  the  text  of  the  Great  Promise 
would  seem  to  authorize  us  to  humbly  expect  its  reception. 
Whether  this  sacrament  is  conferred  on  us  actually,  when  within 
reach,  or  passively,  by  ardent  desire,  when  out  of  reach,  in  the  final 
analysis,  the  result  is  practically  the  same,  viz.,  the  justification  of 
man.  The  sentiments  of  fervor  and  divine  charity  arising  within  the 
sinful  soul,  combined  with  the  desire  of  an  actual  reception  of  this 
Sacrament  will  suffice  in  the  sight  of  God  to  make  us  worthy  of 
our  glorious  destiny.  The  same  is  to  be  said  concerning  the  Sacra- 
ment of  Extreme  Unction.  The  assurance  given  as  to  its  reception 
amounts  to  only  as  much  as  our  spiritual  condition  in  our  last 
struggle  will  require  in  order  to  attain  the  end  for  which  we  are 
created.  We  need  not  concern  ourselves  about  the  Sacrament  of 
the  Holy  Eucharist,  since  it  does  not  directly  affect  our  salvation 
at  the  moment  under  consideration. 

The  same  care  which  we  pointed  out  in  connection  with  the  first 
reward  is  to  be  exercised  when  we  preach  on  the  second,  viz.,  the 
Sacraments.  The  revelation  contained  in  the  Great  Promise  is  far 
from  being  a  certainty.  The  tendency  to  misinterpret  it,  the  danger 
of  magnifying  its  efficacy,  and  becoming  thereby  too  hopeful  of  sal- 
vation, is  manifest  to  all.  To  give  utterance  to  statements  that  con- 
vey the  idea  of  an  unquestioned  reception  of  the  Sacraments  of  the 
dying,  whether  actually  or  passively,  is  not  justified  by  the  knowl- 
edge we  thus  far  possess  of  the  Twelfth  Promise. 


OUR  CONCLUSIONS  AS  REGARDS  THE  GREAT  PROMISE  195 


From  the  contents  of  the  Great  Promise  it  is  clear  that  this  revela- 
tion was  made  to  give  mankind  an  additional  help  of  salvation,  and 
not  intended  to  supersede  the  existing  Christian  economy.  There  is 
no  warrant  for  the  opinion  of  those  who  invest  the  received  re- 
wards with  such  far-reaching  efficacy  as  to  merit  for  us  the  Bea- 
tific Vision  immediately  after  death.  They  cannot  prove  this  sup- 
position of  a  maximum  reward  which  would  dispense  one  from  the 
necessity  of  undergoing  even  a  temporary  purification  in  Purga- 
tory. Such  a  belief  is  unduly  exaggerated.  The  opinion  of  a  mini- 
mum retribution  is  far  more  warrantable  in  our  estimation.  The 
reward  will  be  adapted  to  our  spiritual  condition  and  needs  at  the 
moment  of  death,  but  it  will  be  sufficient  to  secure  our  salva- 
tion. The  possibility  of  a  temporary  suffering  to  which  we  might 
have  to  submit  after  death  should  not  be  excluded.  The  text  of 
the  Great  Promise  does  not  warrant  the  assurance  of  a  recompense 
so  superabundant  as  one  would  have  to  assume  in  order  to  justify 
the  above  belief. 

Notwithstanding  the  fact  that  Father  Vermeersch  is  an  advocate 
of  the  third  mode  of  interpretation,  he  does  not  believe  that  the 
Great  Promise  should  be  preached  in  that  sense.  It  is  not  to  be 
represented,  he  says,  as  a  piece  of  money  which  is  calculated  to 
purchase  for  us  eternal  salvation.1  Furthermore,  he  admonishes  all 
the  preachers  that  they  have  to  weigh  their  statements  with  care  and 
exactness  on  account  of  the  delicateness  of  the  question,  lest  the 
hearers  undervalue  the  merit  of  the  effort  to  be  made  by  all  in 
working  out  the  end  for  which  we  are  created.  Therefore,  they  are 
to  avoid  such  expressions  as  the  following:  In  order  to  save  your 
soul,  in  order  to  obtain  an  infinite  happiness,  our  Lord  asks  you  for 


*"Nous  ne  saurions  d'abord  nous  clever  avec  assez  de  force  contre  un 
genre  de  predication,  ou  la  pratique  des  neuf  vendredis  prendrait  1'air  d'une 
monnaie  avec  laquelle  on  achete  le  paradis."  (VERMEERSCH,  op.  a/.,  torn.  II, 
ch.  Ill,  art.  Ill,  p.  243.) 


196  OUR  CONCLUSIONS  AS  REGARDS  THE  GREAT  PROMISE 


only  one  hour  for  nine  months.1  Again,  he  does  not  approve  of 
preaching  on  this  promise  isolatedly  from,  but  rather  conjointly 
with  the  one  of  which  it  is  the  outgrowth,  viz.,  the  reparatory  first 
Friday  Communions.2 

Comparing  these  latter  statements  with  those  that  precede  them, 
we  fear  that  many  a  theologian  would  reproach  Father  Vermeersch 
with  inconsistency.  If  he  be  a  believer  in  the  third  mode  of  in- 
terpretation, as  his  work  clearly  indicates,  why  should  he  hesitate 
to  present  the  Twelfth  Promise  to  the  people  in  the  light  consistent 
with  his  views  and  convictions?  Several  others  have  done  so 
irrespective  of  the  harmful  consequences  which  their  interpretation 
was  likely  to  bring  in  its  wake.  But  it  is  precisely  these  deplorable 
results  which  Father  Vermeersch  wishes  to  obviate  by  taking  so 
many  and  such  judicious  precautionary  measures.  His  good  judg- 
ment would  not  permit  him  to  state  publicly  that  Christ  in  a  private 
revelation,  the  historicity  of  which  is  yet  to  be  proved,  superseded 
His  whole  public  revelation,  offering  an  assurance  of  salvation  in  the 
former  which  He  does  not  offer  in  the  latter.  Again,  there  is 
hardly  any  reason,  as  far  as  human  judgment  goes,  why  the  sal- 
vation of  souls  should  be  made  considerably  easier  and  more  cer- 
tain since  1688  than  it  had  been  up  to  that  time. 

If  it  were  ascertainable  that  the  third  mode  of  interpretation  is 
the  correct  one,  then  would  be  logical  the  conclusion  of  the  spiritual 


1  "Ces  distinctions  peuvent  paraitre  dedicates,  Raison  de  plus,  pour  peser  nos 
expressions  et  eviter  celles  qui  risquent  d'etre  travesties  en  dispense  d'effort  et 
de  labeur.    Ne  disons  jamais  en  termes  equivalents:    "Voyez  comme  il  en 
coute  de  se  faire  une  position  ici-bas.    Pour  sauver  votre  ame,  pour  obtenir  un 
bonheur  sans  fin,  Notre  Seigneur  vous  demande  une  seule  heure  pendant  neuf 
mois."    (VERMEERSCHy  op.  cit.,  torn.  II,  ch.  Ill,  art..  Ill,  pp.  244  and  245.) 

2  "Nous   ajouterons   encore,   qu'il   convient   peu,   a  notre   sens,   de   precher 
isolement  la  Grande  Promesse.    Elle  n'est  pas  faite  pour  elle-meme,  mais  elle 
fut  proposee  par  Notre-Seigneur  comme  un  encouragement  a  la  communion 
reparatrice  du  premier  vendredi."    (VERMEERSCH,  op.  cit.,  torn.  II,  ch.  Ill, 
art  III,  p.  247.) 


OUR  CONCLUSIONS  AS  REGARDS  THE  GREAT  PROMISE  197 

writer  who  censures  and  qualifies  as  inexcusable  all  those  who  fail 
to  assure  themselves  of  their  glorious  destiny  by  seizing  this  plank 
of  salvation  in  the  turbulent  sea  of  life  where  every  one  is  seriously 
exposed  to  the  jeopardy  of  spiritual  shipwreck.1  But  as  it  is,  no 
confessor  is  authorized  to  reprimand  his  penitent  because  he  neg- 
neglects  to  avail  himself  of  such  an  opportunity,  nor  is  any  one 
bound  to  make  use  of  the  Great  Promise  to  promote  his  spiritual 
welfare. 

The  fact  that  up  to  the  present  the  Church  has  failed  to  take  offi- 
cial cognizance  of  it  is  by  no  means  inconsequential.  This  ought  to 
be  borne  in  mind  every  time  we  speak  on  this  subject.  Granting  that 
not  the  slightest  misgiving  could  be  entertained  as  to  any  factor 
connected  with  the  Twelfth  Promise,  i.  e.,  that  the  fact  of  the  reve- 
lation, the  authenticity  of  the  letter,  the  wording  of  the  formula, 
were  all  ascertainable  without  doubt,  even  then  it  is  questionable 
whether  we  could  attribute  to  it  the  efficacy  with  which  the  advocates 
of  the  third  mode  of  interpretation  invest  it,  in  the  absence  of  an  au- 
thoritative pronouncement  on  the  part  of  the  Church  to  that  effect. 
If  the  Great  Promise  could  actually  promote  our  salvation  to  the  ex- 
tent claimed,  how  many  would  be  willing  to  exculpate  our  holy 
Mother,  the  Church,  from  the  sinful  negligence  of  which  she  would 
undoubtedly  be  guilty  by  failing  to  present  it  officially  before  her 
children  ? 

Furthermore,  if  its  efficacy  were  as  unquestionable  as  repre- 
sented, would  any  sensible  Catholic  fail  to  have  recourse  to  such  an 
inestimable  means  of  safeguarding  his  salvation?  Does  not  the 
Sensus  Catholicus  shrink  from  accepting  such  an  interpretation 
unconditionally  and  without  a  sufficient  warrant?  Only  uncommon 


1  "Qu'ils  seraient  inexcusables  ceux  qui  laisseraient  de  cote  cette  planche  de 
salut,  offerte  par  1'amour  infini  de  ce  divin  Coeur."  (Catechisme  de  la  devotion 
a*  Sacre  Coeur,  Chapelain  de  Montmartre,  Part.  VI,  Sec.  VI,  p.  255.) 


198  OUR  CONCLUSIONS  AS  REGARDS  THE  GREAT  PROMISE 

reason  could  have  induced  Christ  to  make  such  an  extraordinary 
promise  or  manifest  such  a  revelation.  Therefore,  it  is  not  unrea- 
sonable to  say  that,  had  He  intended  to  endow  it  with  that  absolute 
and  infallible  efficacy,  He  would  also  have  exercised  His  divine 
Providence  towards  preserving  such  evidence  of  it  that  it  would  not 
fail  to  have  a  rightful  claim  to  credibility.  If  He  deemed  it  neces- 
sary to  reveal  the  Great  Promise  He  surely  would  have  used  the 
requisite  means  to  perpetuate  the  same  in  a  form  more  calculated 
to  win  assent 

These  are  only  some  of  the  many  difficulties  that  naturally  pre- 
sent themselves  as  irreconcilable  with  the  third  mode  of  interpre- 
tation. Being  aware  of  the  many  dangers  which  may  follow  in  its 
wake,  it  is  advisable  to  advocate  an  interpretation  which  can  com- 
promise neither  the  Church,  nor  the  flock,  nor  the  exponent,  and  yet 
has  as  much  claim  to  acceptance  as  any  other.  To  advocate  the 
absolute  and  infallible  efficacy  of  the  Great  Promise  is  equivalent  to 
running  the  risk  of  inevitably  giving  rise  to  material  superstition, 
and  perhaps  even  scandal,  though,  by  being  indulgent,  it  may  be 
conceded  that  such  cases  might  be  only  sporadic  and  un frequent. 
It  is,  therefore,  this  particular  phase  of  the  Twelfth  Promise  that 
must  needs  undergo  a  slight  modification  in  order  to  eliminate 
the  danger  which  might  be  occasioned  by  it. 

Nor  is  there  any  particular  advantage  in  such  a  sweeping  inter- 
pretation. The  ways  of  God  are  inscrutable,  and,  as  already 
pointed  out  in  a  previous  chapter,  the  truth  of  such  an  inter- 
pretation cannot  be  put  adequately  to  the  test.  If  God  in  His  in- 
finite mercy  and  love  actually  wishes  to  attach  such  a  merit  to  our 
nine  Holy  Communions,  received  on  nine  successive  first  Fridays  of 


OUR  CONCLUSIONS  AS  REGARDS  THE)  GREAT  PROMISE  199 

the  month,  then  we  shall  reap  the  full  share  of  such  a  spiritual 
benefit  without  fail.  But  if,  on  the  other  hand,  this  be  only  an 
exaggerated  illusion,  then  we  are  disseminating  an  erroneous  notion 
in  the  true  fold,  in  consequence  of  which  an  unusual  recompense  is 
anticipated  which  might  never  materialize.  Would  it  not  be,  there- 
fore, advisable  from  the  standpoint  of  good  judgment  and  expedi- 
ency to  accept  the  Great  Promise  as  modified  by  Bishop  Languet? 
The  text  itself  would  not  necessarily  have  to  undergo  a  change. 
The  words:  En  lui  faisant  esperer  would  eradicate  the  old,  wide- 
spread, erroneous  and  exaggerated  ideas,  and  would  be  supplanted 
by  an  interpretation  more  justifiable  and  practical  than  any  which 
can  be  had  at  present. 

In  conclusion  it  may  be  well  to  state  again  that  the  Church  has 
not,  as  yet,  expressed  a  preference  for  any  particular  interpretation 
given  to  the  text  of  the  Great  Promise.  Such  being  the  case,  one 
may  accept  any  view,  provided  it  be  reconcilable  with  sound  theo- 
logical principles.  The  purpose  of  a  devotion  is  to  serve  as  a  means 
whereby  an  intimate  inter-communion  may  be  established  between 
the  soul  and  her  Creator,  thus  to  help  the  former  in  the  attainment 
of  her  end.  Therefore,  any  factor  that  either  retards  the  soul  in 
her  progress  or  threatens  to  mislead  her  must  be  eliminated  from  the 
devotion.  For  this  reason  one  should  abstain  from  presenting  the 
Great  Promise  to  the  people  in  the  light  of  an  interpretation  which 
advocates  an  absolute  right  to  the  promised  graces,  or  gives  an  un- 
questioned assurance  of  their  infallible  fulfilment.  Such  statements 
must  be  considerably  modified  and  toned  down. 

It  may  be  admitted  that  there  are  some  reasons  justifying  a  belief 
in  the  revelation  recorded  by  the  letter  in  question.  But,  on  the 


200  OUR  CONCLUSIONS  AS  REGARDS  THE  GREAT  PROMISE 

other  hand,  it  must  also  be  borne  in  mind  that  the  historicity  of  the 
above  document  is  doubtful.  Even  if  one  were  willing  to  accept  a 
revelation  of  such  nature  the  difficulty  involved  in  the  determina- 
tion of  the  authentic  wording  would  remain  unsolved.  Hence, 
prudence  and  good  judgment  would  dictate  great  caution  when 
speaking  on  the  efficacy  of  the  Twelfth  Promise.  Unless  the  Church 
gives  a  different  interpretation  one  is  not  justified  in  going  further 
than  to  state  that  the  fulfillment  of  the  promised  graces  may  be 
humbly  expected  by  all  who  with  the  proper  dispositions  receive 
Holy  Communion  for  nine  consecutive  first  Fridays  of  the  month. 


B  ibliograph  y 


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THURSTON,  S.  J.  The  Nine  Fridays.     (In  the  Month,  vol.  CI) 


BIBLIOGRAPHY  207 


TICKEU,,  S.  J.   The  life   of  Blessed  Margaret  Mary.    New  York,  1890. 

VERMEERSCH,  S.  J.,  L'objet  propre  de  la  devotion  au  Sacre  Coeur.    (In  the 
Etudes  Rel.,  vol.  CVI) 

VERMEERSCH,  S.  J.,  Pratique  et  doctrine  de  la  devotion  au  Sacre  Coeur.    2 
vols.    Tournai    (Belgique),   1906. 

VERMEERSCH,  S.  J.,  La  Grande  Promesse  du  Sacre  Coeur.    (In  the  Etudes 
Rel.,  vol.  XCV) 


VIGNAT,  IXHJIS,  L'objet  propre  de  la  devotion  au  Sacre  Coeur.    (In  the  Etudes 
Rel,  vol.   CVII) 

WAI,DNER,  S.  J. ,  Ein  Christ  nach  dem  Herzen  Jesu.  Augsburg,  1768. 
YENVEUX,  Le  r&gne  du  Coeur  de  Jesu.   5  vols.    Paris,  1900. 
YENVEUX,  Tresor  spirituel  de  la  devotion  au  Sacre  Coeur.  2  vols.  Paris,  1902. 
YENVEUX,  Catechisme  de  la  devotion  au  Sacre  Coeur.   Paris,  1902. 

,  La  divozione  al  Sacro  Cuore  di  nostro  signor  Gesu  Cristo.    Vene- 

zia,    1740* 

,  Compendia  storico  della  divozione  al  SSmo  Cuor  de  Gesu.   Roma, 

1822.* 

,  The  devotion  to  the  Sacred  Heart  of  Jesus.    Roma,  1822.* 

,  The  devotion  to  the  Sacred  Heart  of  Jesus.  Bruges,  1765.* 

,  Devotion  to  the  Sacred  Heart.    New  York,  1875.    O'Shea  Publ.* 

,  The  Nine  Fridays.    (In  the  Irish  Ecclesiastical  Record,  vol.  XVI, 

an.    1895,   p.  543.)* 

,  The  Promises  of  the  Sacred  Heart.    (In  the  Messenger  of  the 

Sacred  Heart,  an.  1891.)* 


*These    books    do    not    give    the    name    of    the    authors. 


208  BIBLIOGRAPHY 


In  addition  to  the  above,  the  following  sources  are  quoted  with 
frequency : 

Summa  Theologica  Divi  Thomae  Aquinatis. 

Bullarium  Romanum. 

Acta  Sanctae  Sedis. 

BENEDICT  XIV,  De  Servorum  Dei  Beatif.  et  Beat.  Canonizatione. 

Analecta  Juris  Pontificii. 

Catholic  Encyclopedia. 


INDEX 


Act  of  faith  and  the  created 
love  118 

Adumbrations  of  the  cult  of  the 
Sacred  Heart 13 

Allet,  Pere   26 

Alphonsus,  Liguori,  material  ob- 
ject    59 

Ambrose,  St 46,  96 

Apparitions  of  Christ 32,  50 

Augustine,  St 21,  64 

Aurora  of  the  Devotion  to  the 

Sacred  Heart 30 

Anselm,  St 22 

Arnoldi,  Postulator  Causae . .  175,  177 
Bachelet,  Father,  Letter  of  the 

Great  Promise  137 

Basis  of  the  Devotion  to  the 

Sacred  Heart 43 

Belsunce,  Bishop  of  Marseilles..  36 
Benedict  XIV  on  the  created 

love  120 

Bernard,  St 19,  22 

Blessed  Margaret  Mary  and  the 

Last  Sacraments  170 

Blood    circulation    77 

Blunt    74 

Bossuet   65 

Bottinius    35 

Bougaud,  Mgr 35 


Bougaud  and  his  Life  of  Blessed 

Margaret  Mary 36,  147,  148 

Christ  the  Philanthropist   65 

Christological  principles  on  which 
the    Devotion    to    the    Sacred 

Heart  rests   43 

Chantal,  St.  Jane  Frances  de 27 

Clement    XIII,    on    the    material 
object   of  the  Devotion  to  the 

Sacred  Heart  56 

Colombiere,  Father  de  la.. 32,  33,  136 
Conclusions    as   regards   the   ma- 
terial and  formal  objects 91,  92 

Condition  to  merit  the  grace  of 

final   perseverance    191 

Controversy  in  the  London  Tab- 
let     164 

Croiset,  Fr 32-34,  136 

Croiset  on  the  material  object  of 
the    Devotion    to     the     Sacred 

Heart  54 

Crusaders    19 

Daniel,   Father    140 

Death  of  Blessed  Margaret  Mary.  33 
Decree  of  Beatification 57 

Decree    on    which    the    increated 
love  is   founded 107 

Descartes*   Excessive  Intellectual- 
ism    .  13 


209 


210 


INDEX 


Devotion  as  propagated  in  Hun- 
gary    60 

Devotion  to  the  Five  Wounds, 

18,  35,  86 

Devotion  to  the  Holy  Cross 86 

Devotion  to  the  Holy  Name  of 

Jesus   86 

Devotion  to  the  Passion  of  Christ.  17 
Devotion  to  the  Side  of  Christ..  20 

Docetism   44 

Druzbicki,   Polish  Jesuit 24 

Eudes,   Venerable    24-26,48, 

Extreme  Unction  given  to  Blessed 

Margaret   Mary    170-172 

Feast  of  Blessed  Margaret  Mary.  30 

Feast  of  the  Sacred  Heart 35 

Formal  object  of  the  Devotion  to 

the  Sacred  Heart  63-72 

Formal  object  of  the  Devotion  to 

the  Sacred  Heart  traced  to  the 

early  ages    16-17 

Formal  object  of  the  Devotion  to 

the  Sacred  Heart  as  viewed  by: 
I.  Blessed   Margaret  Mary.  66 
II.  Father   Colombiere 66 

III.  Father  Croiset    66 

IV.  Bishop  Languet 67 

V.  Father  Galliffet    67 

VI.  Clement  XIII    68 

VII.  Pius  VII    68 

VIII.  Pius  IX  68 

IX.  Pius  VI  69 

X.  Nilles    69 

XI.  Vermeersch    70 

XII.  Noldin    70 

Forms  of  the  Great  Promise 144 

Francis,    St 19 

Francis  de  Sales  27 

Frattini,    Promo  tor   Fidei 138 

Frederick     Augustus,     King     of 
Poland    .  .  37 


Frigidianus  Castagnorius 35 

Fromment,  S.  J 34 

Fromage,  S.  J 38 

Galliffet  and  his  work  on  the  De- 
votion to  the  Sacred  Heart.. 37-38 
Galliffet  on  the  material  object..  55 

Gauthey,  Archbishop   134,  178 

Gertrude,    St ....19,  23 

Gilbert,    of    Holland 22 

Grace  of  final  perseverance,  mean- 
ing of  155,  162,  190 

Great  Promise,  historical  basis  of  .130 

Greffier,   Mother    30,  135 

Gregory  the  Great 19,  20 

Hajnal,  Hungarian  Jesuit 24 

Hamon,  Father,  concerning  the 
Great  Promise, 

130,  132,  133,  146,  149,  183 

Harnack 44 

Heart  and  Brain  77-78 

Heart  and  the  emotions 79 

Heart  and  Love  as  two  objects 
of  the  Devotion  to  the  Sacred 
Heart  71 

Heart  and  the  modern  physiology, 

76,   81 

Heart  and  the  Redemption 79,  80 

Heart  and  the  Sacred   Scripture, 

73-74 

Heart  as  viewed  in  the  three  states 
of  the  Body  of  Christ 61-63 

Heart  in  the   Old  Testament. ..  .113 

Heart  in  symbolism   73 

Heart  in  Platonic  concept 75-76 

Heart  of  Christ  pierced  with  a 
lance  21 

Heart,  the  appropriate  symbol  of 
love  .  ..53-54 


INDEX 


211 


Heart,  the  material  object  of  the 

Devotion  to  the  Sacred  Heart. 50-63 
Heart  as  viewed  in  this  devotion.  82 

Heart's  excellence    52-53 

Hersant   Hieronyme,    Mother 28 

Hilary,   St 95 

History  of  the  Works  of  Blessed 

Margaret  Mary  140-141 

History  of   the  Devotion  to  the 

Sacred   Heart  before   the  time 

of  Blessed  Margaret  Mary..  16-26 

History   of  the   Devotion   to  the 

Sacred  Heart  in  the  period  of 

Blessed  Margaret  Mary 27-33 

Humanity  of   Christ 43-45 

Hungarian  Manaul    70 

Inconography      of      the      Sacred 

Heart    53,  58 

Ignatius  of  Antioch   44 

Incarnation,  the  work  of  Divine 

Love    46-47 

Increated  and  created  Love,  pur- 
pose   of    120 

Increated  Love,   idea   of 93-94 

Increated  Love  in  Christ  proved, 

94-97 

Increated     Love,     arguments     in 
favor   of    107-109 

Increated  Love  as  interpreted  by: 
I.  Blessed    Margaret    Mary, 

98-99 
II.  Father  Croiset  99-100 

III.  Father  Fromment. . .  .100-101 

IV.  Father  Galliffet  101 

V.  Bishop  Languet    101 

VI.  Bucceroni     102 

VII.  Muzzarelli    103 

VIII.  Franzelin    103 

IX.  Father    Ramiere 103,125 

X.  Father  Vignat 103,  125 

XI.  Father   Bainvel 103,  126 


XII.  Father  Roothan   104 

XIII.  Father  Alvery 104,  124 

XIV.  Father    Vermeersch, 

104,  120,  122 

Innocent  VI  19 

Interpretation  of  the  Great 
Promise  by: 

I.  Father  Ramiere  155 

II.  Bachelet    156 

III.  Vermeersch   157-159,  161 

IV.  Father  Smith    159 

Interpretations      of      the      Great 

Promise,  unwarrantable 165-168 

Invitatory  for  the  Feast  of  the 

Sacred  Heart  61 

Jansenists  38,  57,  184 

Jungman,  Bernard  51 

Kenosis,  idea  of  95 

Lambertini,  Cardinal  37 

Languet  and  his  Life  of  Blessed 

Margaret  Mary  36 

Languet,  Bishop 25,  29,  36 

Languet  and  the  Letter  Contain- 
ing the  Great  Promise, 

132,  134,  135,  142,  144 

Languet,  Character  of 183,  184 

Languet  and  the  material  object 
of  the  Devotion  to  the  Sacred 
Heart  54 

Le  Dore,  Father 115 

Leo  XIII  and  his  Encyclical, 

40,  41,   120 

Letter  of  Blessed  Margaret  Mary 
to  her  sick  brother 184-186 

Letter  of  the  Great  Promise,  131-138 
Lewes  and  the  modern  concept  of 
the   heart    76 

Life  of  Blessed  Margaret  Mary, 

29-33 

Lightfoot    44 


212 


INDEX 


Litany  of  the  Sacred  Heart 109 

Love   and   Heart   as  two   objects 

of  the  devotion  71 

Love    as    corresponding    to    the 

three    states    of    the    body    of 

Christ    71-72 

Love  is  the  primary  object  of  the 

Devotion  to   the   Sacred   Heart 

proved  by: 
I.  Blessed  Margaret  Mary...  87 

II.  Father  Croiset 87 

III.  Father  Galliffet 88 

IV.  Frigidianus    Castagnorius . .  88 

Margaret  Mary,  Blessed   27 

Margaret   Mary  enters  convent..  29 

Margaret  Mary  and  her  life  in 
the  convent  29-33 

Man's    relation   to   symbolism 53 

Mary,  Sister  of  the  Divine  Heart.  40 

Mary,  wife  of  James  II 35 

Mass  of  the  Sacred  Heart 56 

Material  and  formal  objects  of 
the  Devotion  to  the  Sacred 
Heart  16,  91,  92 

Material  and  formal  objects 
traced  to  the  early  ages 17-23 

Material  and  formal  objects 
united  23 

Material  and  formal  objects 
treated  extensively  50-63 

McNabb,   Father 164,   165,    166 

Mechtilde,   St 19 

Memorial  of  Polish  Bishops . .  19,  106 

Muzzarelli  and  the  material  object 
of  the  Devotion  to  the  Sacred 
Heart  59 

Nilles  and  the  material  object  of 
the  Devotion  to  the  Sacred 
Heart 59 


Noldin  and  the  material  object  of 
the  Devotion  to  the  Sacred 
Heart  60 

Novena,  explanation  of 185-186 

Paray-le-Monial  Convent 27 

Paulinus  of  Nola  22 

Perseverance,    grace    of 155-162 

Pestilence  of  Marseilles  36 

Pesch    50 

Peter,   Chrysologus    18 

Philip,  King  of   Spain 37 

Physiologists  concerning  the  func- 
tions of   the  heart 23,  24 

Picture  of  the  Sacred  Heart..  30,  31 
Pius    VI    and   the    Pseudo-Synod 

of  Pistoja  45,  11,  57 

Plato    and    his    concept    of    the 

heart    75-76 

Polish  Bishop 19,  39,  55,  56 

Preface  of  the  Nativity 53 

Pre-incarnate  love,  idea  of Ill 

Primary  and  secondary  objects 
of  the  Devotion  to  the  Sacred 

Heart    84-92 

Primary  object  of  the  Devotion 
to  the  Sacred  Heart  in  the  order 
of  time 85 

Private   Devotions   14 

Private     revelations,     value     of, 

173-174 

Ramiere,  S.  J 39 

Reasons  for  the  worship  of  the 
Heart  52-53 

Redemption,  the  work  of  Divine 
Love  46-47 

Revelation  to  Blessed  Margaret 
Mary  50 

Reward  of  the  Great  Promise 154 

Ricci,   Scipio  de   69 


INDEX 


213 


Rolin,    Father    136 

Sacraments,  reception  of  .162, 163, 193 
Sacred   Scripture  and  the  Heart, 

73,  74 
Saumaise,  Mother  de, 

130,  131,  132,  150 

Schumacher,  H 97 

Side  of  Christ    20 

Sisters  Peronne — Rosalie  de  Far- 
ges  and  Francois — Rosalie  Ver- 

chere   133,  135,  141,  150 

Solomon,  Temple  of    113 

Soteriological  principles  on  which 
the    Devotion    to    the     Sacred 

Heart   rests    46 

Symbolism  defined  and  applied  to 
the    Devotion    to    the     Sacred 

Heart   82 

Symbolism   illustrated  by  threps- 
ology     82 

Symbolism  illustrated  by  psychol- 
ogy     83 


Synod  of   Lavaur    20 

Temple  of  Solomon 62,  113 

Threpsology  as  helping  to  illus- 
trate symbolism  82 

Thurston,    Father,    on    the    letter 

of  the  Great  Promise 134,  153 

Two  principal  objects  of  worship  14 

Vermeersch,  Father 195,  196 

Versions    of   the   Great  Promise, 

141-145 

Victorinus   96 

Visitandines    of    Paray-le-Monial, 

140,  141 

Vitis  Mystica  23 

William,  the  Abbott 22 

Writings  of  Blessed  Margaret 
Mary  examined  by  the  Sacred 
Congregation  175-176 

Writings  of  Blessed  Margaret 
Mary,  authentic  edition  of..  178-180 

Zahn   .  .  44 


DEUS  LUX  MEA. 


THESES 

QUAS, 
AD  DOCTORATUM 

IN 

SACRA    THEOLOGIA 

Apud  Universitatem  Catholicam  Americae 

CONSSQUENDUM, 

PUBLICE  PROPUGNABIT 
IOSEPHUS  JULIUS  CAROLUS  PETROVITS,  S.  T.  L. 

IX  HORA  A.  M.    DIE  VIII  IUNII  A.  D.  MCMXVII. 

215 


UNIVERSITAS  CATHOUCA  AMERICA^ 

WASHINGTONII,  D.  C. 

S.  FACUI/TAS  THEOI,OGICA, 

1916-1917. 

No.  10. 


THESES 


217 


THESES  219 


I. 

Opinio  quae  tenet  cultum  Sacratissimi  Cordis  lesu  a  Beata  Maria 
Margarita  Alacoque  introductum  fuisse,  historico  fundamento  caret. 

II. 

In  Sacratissimi  Cordis  devotione  Cor  Jesu  est  quasi  centrum 
cultus;  ergo  amor  sive  sit  creatus  sive  increatus,  semper  insepa- 
rabilis  a  Persona  Christi  consideratur. 

III. 

Argumenta  quae  ad  amorem  increatum  in  cultu  Sacratissimi  Cor- 
dis includendum  adducuntur,  tamquam  persuasiva  iure  merito 
habentur. 

IV. 

In  cultu  Sacratissimi  Cordis  amor  increatus  non  est  consider- 
andus  ac  si  contineret  plenitudinem  amoris  in  tribus  divinis  Per- 
sonis  SS.  Trinitatis  existentis,  neque  potest  esse  primarius  ratione 
temporis. 

V. 

Ex  nonnullis  factis  intime  connexis  cum  Promission  XII,  dubi- 
tatur  utrum  omnia  verba  quibus  formula  promissionis  componitur 
et  quae  proponuntur  tamquam  Beatae  Mariae  Margaritae  Alacoque, 
authentica  sint. 

VI. 

Illi  omnes  qui  tenent  gratiam  in  Promissione  XII  promissam 
titulo  meriti  ex  ilustitia  deberi,  condemnandi  sunt  tamquam  doc- 
trinam  contra  sensum  Scripturae  et  Ecclesiae  disseminantes. 

VII. 

Interpretatio  Promissionis  XII  prout  in  dissertatione  proposita, 
tamquam  doctrinae  et  sensui  catholico  conformis,  sustinetur  et 
vindicatur. 


THESES 


VIII. 

Devotion  to  the  Sacred  Heart  has  its  solid  foundation  in  generally 
accepted  principles  of  Christology  and  Soteriology,  and  not,  as 
some  maintain,  in  the  controverted  revelations  to  Blessed  Margaret 
Mary. 

IX. 

The  formal  object  of  the  devotion  to  the  Sacred  Heart  is  clearly 
defined,  not  only  in  the  writings  of  its  early  exponents,  but  also 
in  the  decrees  of  the  Sacred  Congregations  as  well  as  the  decisions 
rendered  by  the  various  Pontiffs. 

X. 

The  two  objects  of  the  devotion  to  the  Sacred  Heart  must  be  con- 
sidered ad  modum  unius;  either  of  them  may  be  primary  or  sec- 
ondary when  viewed  ratione  temporis,  but  ratione  excellentiae  love 
is  the  primary  object. 

XL 

Since  the  divine  Person  subsists  in  the  human  body  of  Christ, 
we  contend,  against  the  Jansenists,  that  His  physical  Heart  is  the 
material  object  of  the  Devotion  to  the  Sacred  Heart,  and  as  such  is 
deserving  of  the  cult  of  latria. 

XII. 

Three  states  can  be  distinguished  of  the  real  body  of  Christ; 
therefore,  the  Heart  and  love  corresponding  to  these  states  indi- 
vidually must  constitute  the  material  and  the  formal  object  of  the 
Devotion  to  the  Sacred  Heart. 

XIII. 

There  is  a  sufficient  warrant  for  the  symbolism  involved  in  the 
Devotion  to  the  Sacred  Heart,  notwithstanding  the  fact  that  the 
functions  which  were  formerly  attributed  to  the  Heart  are,  by 
modern  physiologists,  assigned  to  the  brain. 


THESES  221 


XIV. 

In  the  Old  Covenant  the  word  heart  symbolized  the  love  of  God  ; 
in  common  parlance  it  symbolizes  all  the  love  of  a  person;  there- 
fore, in  the  Devotion  to  the  Sacred  Heart  its  symbolism  should  not 
be  restricted  to  the  created  love  of  Christ. 

XV. 

The  arguments  adduced  in  favor  of  the  historicity  of  the  letter 
through  which  the  Great  Promise  has  been  circulated  are  incon- 
clusive, and  many  objections  raised  against  its  authenticity  cannot 
be  satisfactorily  answered. 

XVI. 

Many  factors  intimately  connected  with  the  Great  Promise  mili- 
tate against  the  acceptance  of  the  views  of  those  who  are  classified 
as  advocates  of  third  mode  of  interpretation. 

XVII. 

Hedonism  must  be  rejected  because  it  is  founded  on  untenable 
principles  subversive  of  the  true  end  of  man. 

XVIII. 

The  moral  law  viewed  objectively  is  not  subject  to  evolution;  we 
may  admit,  however,  that  the  applications  of  the  primary  principles 
to  individual  acts  may  vary. 

XIX. 

Norma  proxima  discriminans  actiones  humanas  rectas  a  pravis 
est  ipsa  humana  natura  rationalis  adaequate  spectata,  remota  autem 
norma  est  divina  essentia. 

XX. 

Lex  naturalis  ita  est  promulgata  ut  eius  principia  ignorari  non 
possint;  de  praeceptis  autem  mediatis  potest  esse  aliqua  ignorantia. 


222  THESES 


XXL 

Duellum  sub  titulo  satis factionis  pro  laeso  honore  susceptum  legi 
natural!  repugnat,  ideoque  semper  illicitum  est. 

XXII. 

Effectus  malus,  quern  praeter  intentionem  ex  actione  sua  secu- 
turum  agens  praevidit,  huic  imputari  nequit,  quoties  illud  impedire 
non  teneatur. 

XXIII. 

Parentes  ad  suorum  liberorum  educationem  stricto  natural!  officio 
tenentur,  et  munus  illos  educandi,  qua  naturale  est,  exclusive  iure 
sibi  vindicare  possunt. 

XXIV. 

Bellum  in  se  consideratum  naturaliter  prohibitum  censeri  nequit, 
attamen  ad  id  licite  suscipiendum  nonnullae  conditiones  requiruntur. 

XXV. 

Civili  potestati  circa  scholarem  institutionem  puerorum  duplex 
cooperatio  ex  officio  competit,  altera  negativa,  quae  in  publica  iurium, 
etiam  personalium,  tutela  consistit,  altera  positiva,  sed  externa  et 
subsidiaria,  quatenus  ad  fundandas  et  sustentandas  scholas  neces- 
sarias  socialis  spontaneitas  oneri  publico  impar  succursu  indigeat. 

XXVI. 

Spectatis  dogmatum  christianorum  origine,  natura  atque  profectu, 
nihil  est  quod  suadeat  ea  eo  modo  orta  esse  ac  crevisse,  quern 
moderni  ac  modernistae  in  medium  afferre  solent. 

XXVII. 

Ea  quae  nuperrime  urgent  modernistae  contra  argumentum  Sancti 
Thomae  ex  motu  desumptum,  procedumt  vel  ex  ignorantia  elenchi, 
vel  ex  placitis  gratuitis  evolutionis  monisticae  quam  profitentur. 


THESES  223 


XXVIII. 

Doctrina  Concilii  Vaticani,  iuxta  quam  humanae  ration!  recte 
evolutae  adscribitur  potentia  physica,  ad  Deum,  rerum  omnium 
principium  et  finem,  ex  rebus  creatis  certo  cognoscendum,  expo- 
nitur  ac  defenditur. 

XXIX. 

Divinitas  lesu  Christi  ex  Evangeliis  probatur,  ac  proinde  non  est 
dogma  quod  conscientia  Christiana  ex  notione  Messiae  deduxit 

XXX. 

Ex  contingentia  rerum  argui  legitime  potest  ad  existentiam  Entis 
Necessarii,  quidquid  in  contarium  urgeant  modernistae. 

XXXI. 

lesus  cum  ministerium  suum  exercebat,  in  eum  finem  loquebatur 
ut  doceret  se  esse  Messiam,  atque  eius  miracula  eo  spectabant  ut  id 
demonstrarent. 

XXXII. 

Unigeniti  Incarnatio  non  fuit  absolute  necessaria,  quia  satisfactio 
iustitiae  non  est  obligatio  divinae  voluntati  imposita,  sed  libera 
potius  electio  ab  hac  eadem  voluntate  executioni  demandata. 

XXXIII. 

Non  in  concupiscentia,  sed  in  privatione  vitae  supernaturalis  sita 
est  pecati  originalis  essentia. 

XXXIV. 

Humanitas  Christi,  ut  res  honorata,  adoranda  est  cultu  latriae; 
sed  ut  ratio  honoris,  cultu  hyperduliae. 

XXXV. 

Cultus  Sacratissimi  Cordis  lesu  turn  verus  turn  conveniens  affir- 
mandus  est. 


224: 


XXXVI. 

Forma  servanda  in  matrimonio  et  sponsalibus  continetur  in  de- 
creto  "Ne  Temere." 

XXXVII. 

Personae  distinguuntur  ratione  Rituum.  Decretis  particularibus 
ritus  ruthenus  moderatur  in  Statibus  Foederatis  Americae  Septen- 
trionalis. 

XXXVIII. 

Duplex  elementum  requiritur  ad  acquirendum  domicilium  vel 
Quasi-Domicilium,  elementum  materiale  et  spirituale. 

XXXIX. 

Persona  baptizata  et  non  baptizata  matrimonium  valide  contrahi 
nequeunt  propter  impedimentum  disparitatis  cultus. 

XL. 

Modus  eligendi  Episcopos  in  Statibus  Foederatis  Americae  Sep- 
tentrionalis  determinatur  in  decreto  Congregationis  Consistorialis 
data  die  3  Nov.,  1916. 

XLI. 

Ad  consequendum  remissionem  peccatorum  mortalium  post  bap- 
tismum  commissorum  iure  divino  est  necessaria  specifica  corumdem 
confessio  facta  legitimo  paenitentiae  ministro. 

XUL 

Consecratio  eatenus  habet  rationem  actionis  sacrificialis  quatenus 
per  earn  producitur  Christus  in  statu  mysticae  mactationis,  dum  vi 
verborum  corpus  et  sanguis  Christi  separatim  ponuntur  sub  specie- 
bus  panis  et  vini,  et  hac  ratione  mactatio  cruenta  in  cruce  facta  Deo 
offertur. 


225 


XLIII. 

Cultus  erga  Sacratissimum  Cor  lesu  in  Eucharistia  non  est  per- 
fectior  cultu  erga  ipsam  Eucharistiam  neque  alius  a  cultu  erga 
Sacratissimum  Cor  lesu.1 

XLIV. 

Proprietas  essentialis  matrimonii  christiani  consummati  est  eius 
indissolubilitas  etiam  in  casu  adulterii. 

XLV. 

Ecclesia  potest  statuere  impedimenta  matrimonium  dirimentia  et 
ad  eius  tribunal  spectant  causae  matrimoniales,  quae  respiciunt 
ipsum  matrimonii  vinculum. 

XLVI. 

Determinism  in  the  moral  order  falls  to  the  ground  under  the 
weight  of  the  arguments  adduced  from  the  testimony  of  conscience, 
and  from  the  analysis  of  the  act  of  choosing  what  we  shall  do  and 
what  we  shall  not  do. 

XLVII. 

The  arguments  drawn  from  the  consent  of  mankind,  from  the 
spirituality  of  the  soul,  from  our  tendency  towards  happiness,  and 
from  our  moral  life,  justify  the  world-wide  belief  in  the  immor- 
tality of  the  soul. 

XLVIII. 

The  reality  of  Christ's  bodily  Resurrection  is  made  certain  by 
the  fact  that,  from  the  very  beginning,  the  Apostles  taught,  and 
insisted  on  the  belief  that  Christ  was  truly  risen  from  the  dead. 

XLIX. 

No  Church  can  lay  claim  to  apostolicity  unless  it  is  in  commu- 
nion with  the  See  of  Peter. 


Acta  Apostolicae  Sedis,  1915,  vol.  VII,  p.  205. 


226  THESES 


L. 

Within  the  scope  of  Church  infallibility  are  included  not  only 
whatsoever  things  Christ  has  revealed,  but  also  the  truths  of  the 
natural  order,  the  denial  of  which  could  logically  lead  to  the  rejec- 
tion of  any  revealed  doctrine. 

LI. 

The  passage  in  Phil.,  II,  2-6,  if  viewed  in  the  light  of  the  inter- 
pretation given  to  it  by  the  Latin  Patristic  Literature,  brands  as 
erroneous  the  opinions  of  those  modern  Kenoticists  who  regard 
the  Kenosis  as  a  real  surrender  of  the  "forma  Dei"  for  the  "forma 
servi" 

LIL 

Considering  the  Jewish  tradition,  the  term  "Son  of  man'9  as  used 
by  Christ  is  a  Messianic  title,  and  is  to  be  referred  to  Daniel  VII,  13. 

LIU. 

The  passage  in  the  Synoptics,  Matt.,  XI,  27,  and  Luke  X,  22,  as 
critically  established  against  Harnack  and  Loisy,  gives  positive 
proof  that  Christ  knew  and  taught  His  divinity. 

LIV. 

From  external  evidence  it  is  possible  to  prove  the  Mosaic  author- 
ship of  the  book  of  Pentateuch  in  the  sense  in  which  it  was  inter- 
preted by  the  decisions  of  the  Pontifical  Biblical  Commission  dated 
June  7,  1906. 

LV. 

The  opinion  may  be  accepted  that  in  no  sense  are  we  bound  to 
believe  that  Solomon  was  actually  the  author  of  the  book  of 
Ecclesiastes. 

LVL 

Against  Schrock  and  Fuchs  we  maintain  that  Cyril  of  Alexandria 
has  not  departed  from  orthodoxy,  hence,  the  controversy  between 
him  and  Nestorius  was  not  a  mere  logomachy,  but  it  touched  the 
kernel  of  Christianity. 


THESES  227 


LVIII. 

The  unjust  interference  of  civil  authority  was  instrumental  in 
creating  and  maintaining  for  a  long  time  the  opposition  which  we 
know  to  have  existed  between  the  Antiochene  Bishops  and  the 
Fathers  of  the  Oecumenical  Council  of  Ephesus. 

LVIII. 

There  is  insufficient  historical  evidence  to  prove  that  Cyril  of 
Alexandria  and  his  friends  induced  the  court  to  accept  their  views 
by  having  had  recourse  to  bribery. 

LIX. 

The  Reformation  in  Germany  was  as  much  a  political  movement 
as  a  religious  upheaval,  and  both  must  be  taken  into  account  in 
explaining  its  rapid  growth. 

LX. 

Instead  of  remedying  the  existing  religious  evils  the  doctrine  of 
Luther  augmented  them  and  rendered  the  real  reform  more  difficult 
of  achievement. 


Vidit  Sacra  Facultas: 

DANIEL  I.  KENNEDY,  O.  P.,  S.  T.  M.,  p.  t.  Decanus. 
FRANCISCUS  I.  COELN,  Ph.  D.,  p.  t.  a  Secretis. 
Vidit  Rector  Universitatis, 

*  THOMAS  I.  SHAHAN,  S.  T.  D. 


VITA. 

Natus  sum  anno  1886  in  Hungariae  regno.  Literarum  elementis 
in  gymnasio  Tyrnaviae  huius  regionis  imbutus,  annum  duodevicesi- 
mum  agens,  in  Status  Foederatos  Americae  Septentrionalis  perveni. 
Seminarium  ibi  Pennsylvaniae  Overbrookiense,  in  tutelam  Sancti- 
Caroli  Borromei  commissum,  frequentavi,  ut  disciplinis  theologicis 
vacarem ;  ibidem  annpf  nono  huius  saeculi  ad  sacerdotium  provectus 
sum.  In  ecclesiis  deinde,  quae  ad  dioecesim  pertinent  Harrisburgen- 
sem,  operam  curae  animarum  navabam  et  per  tres  annos  paroeciam 
Sanctae  Mariae  de  Immaculata  Conceptione  regebam.  Postremo  in 
civium  huius  almae  Universitatis  numerum  anno  1914  adscriptus 
sum,  ubi  dd.  Melody  eiusque  successoris  Ryan  auspiciis  theologiae 
moralis  praecipue  studiis  incubui.  Juris  insuper  canonici  et  the- 
ologiae dogmaticae  disciplinis  deditus  fui,  quarum  illam  Dr.  Bernar- 
dini  hanc  Dr.  Shanahan  me  docuit. 

His,  quos  commemoravi,  et  aliis  de  me  egregie  meritis  viris  doctis, 
qui  summa  doctrina  atque  benevolentia  me  semper  iuverunt,  gratias 
et  nunc  ago  et  semper  habebo  quam  possum  maximas. 


-  &*£ 

THEOLOGY   (S.  T.  D.) 

AIKEN,  REV.  CHARLES  FRANCIS 

The  Dhamma  of  Gotama  the  Buddha  and  the  Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ. 

1900. 
BELLWALD,  AUGUST  MATHIAS,  S.  M. 

Christian  Science  and  the  Catholic  Faith.     1922. 
COAN,  ALPHONSE  JOHN,  O.  F.  M. 

The  Rule  of  Faith  in  the  Ecclesiastical  Writings  of  the  First  Two 

Centuries.     1924. 
COSTA,  ALOYSIUS  MARIA,  O.  F.  M. 

Christ's  One  Sacrifice  in  Its  Threefold  Mode.     1927. 
CUNEO,  BERNARD  MARY,  O.  F.  M. 

The  Lord's  Command  to  Baptize.     1923. 

DUBLANCHY,   EDMUND,   S.   M. 

De  Axiomata  "Extra  Ecclesia  nulla  Salus."     1895. 
FLYNN,  REV.  VINCENT  STEPHEN 

The  Norm  of  Morality.     1928. 
Fox,  REV.  JAMES  JOSEPH 

Religion  and  Morality.     1899. 
GILLIGAN,  REV.  FRANCIS  JAMES 

The  Morality  of  the  Color  Line.     1928. 
HEALY,  REV.  PATRICK  JOSEPH 

The  Valerian  Persecution.     1903. 

LlLJENCRANTZ,   REV.   CARL  JOHAN 

Spiritism  and  Religion.     1918. 
LUCAS,  REV.  GEORGE  J. 

Agnosticism  and  Religion.     1895. 
MATHIS,  MICHAEL  AMBROSE,  C.  S.  C. 

The  Pauline  Pistis-Hypostatis  according  to  Heb.  XI,  1.     1920. 
MELODY,  REV.  JOHN  WEBSTER 

The  Physical  Basis  of  Marriage.     1903. 

MOLLAUN,   ROMUALD  ALPHONSE,   O.   F.   M. 

St.  Paul's  Concept  of  Hilasterion  according  to  Rom.  Ill,  25.     1923. 
MORONEY,  TIMOTHY  BARTHOLOMEW,  S.  S.  J. 

The  Idea  of  Personality.     1919. 
MOTRY,  REV.  HUBERT  Louis 

Concept  of  Mortal  Sin  in  Early  Christianity.     1920. 
O'CONNER,  REV.  MAURICE  JOSEPH 

Responsibility  and  the  Moral  Life.     1903. 
OHLEYER,  LEO  JOSEPH,  O.  F.  M. 

The  Pauline  Formula  "Induere  Christum."     1921. 
PETROVITZ,  REV.  JULIUS  CHARLES 

Theology  of  the  Cultus  of  The  Sacred  Heart.     1917. 


POWERS,  GEORGE  CORNELIUS,  A.  F.  M. 

Method  of  Voting  at  the  Council  of  Constance.     1927. 
RAGER,  REV.  JOHN  CLEMENT 

The  Political  Philosophy  of  the  Blessed  Cardinal  Bellarmin.     1926. 
RYAN,  REV.  JOHN  AUGUSTINE 

A  Living  Wage.     1906. 
SHAUGNESSY,  GERALD,  S.  M. 

Catholic  Growth  in  the  United  States,  1790-1920.     1925. 
STEGMANN,  BASIL  AUGUST,  O.  S.  B. 

Christ,  the  Second  Man,  from  Heaven.    A  study  of  I  Cor.  16,  45-47,  in 

the  Light  of  the  Anthropology  of  Philo  Judaeus.     1927. 
TEMPLE,  REV.  PATRICK  JOSEPH 

The  Boyhood  Consciousness  of  Christ.     1922. 
VILLAPANDO,  AMRBOSE,  O.  F.  M. 

De  Clavium  Potestatis  Existentia  atque  Natura.     1921. 
WEBER,  S.  M.,  NICHOLAS  ALOYSIUS 

A  History  of  Simony  in  the  Early  Church.     1909. 


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